Danzig’s ‘Black Laden Crown’ is his first album of all-new material in seven long years and ‘Evil Elvis’ is making a return fit for a king. Nine tracks of metal heaven await those who dive into Danzig’s circle of hell with ‘Black Laden Crown’. The record feels raw and dark and sounds blissfully unproduced, as though intentionally downplaying the perfection. It feels as though you are actually hearing what Danzig sounds like in 2017.
The moody baritone of Glenn Danzig’s voice has always had the ability to convey more emotion in a single line than any pop star could hope to achieve. After 40 years, many artists would play it safe and smooth over the rough edges in their vocals, but why? There is a realness to the way you experience this record and admittedly it’s not going to be to everyone’s tastes, but it is perfectly Danzig. His voice has evolved over the past 40 years and hearing that evolution in his tone and delivery makes this record a step further than we have heard before.
The record’s title track ‘Black Laden Crown’ is heavy with wailing guitars and a slow growing vocal that builds a strong base for the rest of the record to flow from. Coming in just one second under six minutes long, it also drives home that this record hasn’t been rushed. ‘Last Ride’ is a standout, with melancholy laced lyrics that call out “and I’m lonely” like a punch to the chest. The lead guitar throughout is audio-porn of the sweetest kind; it’s reverb heavy and atmospheric in the best way.
There are only nine tracks on the record, but they all come in over the average listening time, so you’re getting what you’ve waited for – it’s not all over too quickly. Ending the record with ‘Pull The Sun’ is brilliant: it’s big and loud and achingly romantic. “I pull the sun down from the sky, I pull the stars out of the night, I give them to you until we die” – the man is aiming to tear hearts out of chests with this one. Frankly, it’s working. It tapers off towards the end and eventually fades to silence, bringing the album to a soft close rather than with a resounding slam of a door.
The riffs throughout are great, and most importantly, they are classically Danzig. You’re not getting a phase or a version of him that is curated to appeal to 2017’s feeble desires. The record has echoes of everything lauded by Danzig fans worldwide and is a fantastic album from a man who has been making music for more than four decades.
2017 marks the 40 year anniversary of the first Misfits single, ‘Cough/Cool’, and the summer brings the 25th anniversary of ‘Danzig III: How the Gods Kill’. If this record is anything to go by, Danzig certainly isn’t done with satisfying his fans yet.
RHIAN WILKINSON