Customer Reviews

Danzig 3: How The Gods Kill

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's good, but not as magnificently good as others seem to make it out to be. Don't get me wrong, I love these songs very much and they dwell in my mind and heart accompanied with great memories. I just don't think that they are as good as the latest and most impressive works to date. This is my least favorite out of all of the efforts from my all-time favorite artist. My least FAVORITE, it is without question still one of my favorites. I have really pondered about why it is that I don't revere this album as much as I do the others and have not come up with an explanation other than it's just not as intricate and profound as Danzig 4p, BlackAciDevil, and Satan's Child. Please keep in mind that I am a MAJOR fan of ALL of Danzig's work and I in NO way discredit his previous works, this one included. They are undying and a MUST-HAVE for all those who can recognize and appreciate what a true artistic talent he has manifested himself to be. While I will state that it is my least favorite, you will not hear a single negative comment from this "Fiend".

Godless:
This song pounds through you in the beginning with an impressive bombardment of Chuck Biscuits' skillful drumming which is variable throughout the song. Immediately following is that "solo-esque" rhythm and lead which seems to be of one spirit that they were known for while John Christ was a significant influence upon the band up until the fourth effort. After a short while of attacking your ears with an onslaught of aggressiveness, the song soon slows to a corpse's whisper, as a feeling of a lost damned soul has taken the opportunity to speak through the whining guitars and Glenn's anguished voice. It is supported by the matchless talent of chucks drumming abilities, all the while, an eerie sounding hammer and anvil pounding resonates in the forefront. After which the song picks up to that aggressive tempo with which it began, but this time incorporating Glenn's powerful lyrics of disappointment.....

...Godless feeling in me
Borne of their lies
You gave me all of this
And more
Yeah, that's for sure

I can't believe in all your pain
Under the draining of a
Christian deity's blood
You tell your children
They're insane

I couldn't love it anymore
I had to listen to my heart
I couldn't take it anymore
And so you leave me...Godless...

The song ends with that same haunted feeling of emptiness and yet Glenn communicates a sense of great strength and potential hope for the victims of this directionless life which we are so obligated to continue in.

Anything:
It begins with a calm and truly beautifully strummed guitar piece accompanied by a very subtle hissing synthesizer that sounds like the flutes of demons' desire which is incorporated throughout and noticed with the slower parts of the song. This song takes me into two different realms of thought. The first thoughts that poured through my mind's eye where the thoughts of Jesus Christ on Mount Olive as Satan offered him all the world for one act of worship. I know that this is only an interpretation of my own but it very chillingly resembles that story which is very well known by anyone who has had a basic education in the teachings of man's bible. The other thoughts are very obviously those of a simple love song where empty promises of giving the world are offered in exchange for the love of another soul. I am very unconvinced though, that this song is as simple as that. I have read Glenn's thoughts regarding his writing style on many occasions, and he has stated time and time again that he tries to keep his lyrics very simple and to the point. Although, this is one of those songs that makes me question his confessions in writing. Okay, I just thought I would share my thoughts about my interpretation. These are some lyrics that made me conclude this...

...Anything you want
Anything this world has to offer
I can give you

All this world and its glories
And its sins
I will give it all to you
Take my hand
If you just say you will

Anything you need
It's in my arms
It's in my loving arms...

It progresses into a very melodically aggressive, rhythmic and spine tingling song which is filled with both an incredible guitar solo and Glenn's unique voice which scream to hell and back.

Bodies:
A bass line of great temperance and manage begins this song of corpses in need of salvation. The same bass line is reprocessed as the lead towards the middle of the song as Glenn speaks his poetry of macabre ness. The tempo then returns to its more lively state in which Glenn evocatively re-iterates the title of the song with his reverberating, death invoking, and Wolves' howl of a voice. Lyrics...

...I been saving up my pain
I'm gonna give it back in spades
I been strangling the cries
From the murder of love...

...I been raising up the dead
Gonna send them to the house of Cain
I been praying in light
Of the waning moon...

I been taken out of heaven
I been put upon this world
I been walking up and down
To and fro

Save your doggone soul...

The song ends hastily with a spell which fades into the darkness.

I hope you enjoyed the read. No go out and buy the album or you will be missing out !!

^( -_-)^EvilAlivE^(-_- )^
Smage, the Godless Agnostic

If you have not listened/purchased Danzig I and II yet, might I suggest that you do that BEFORE purchasing 'How the Gods Kill'. This album is a classic all on it's own, but I think you will appreciate it that much more if you can hear the evolution of Danzig's (the man and the band) musical direction. 'How the Gods Kill' offers some of the most powerful, creepy and soul stirring music you'll ever hear, w/in the metal/rock genre and frankly any style. To the casual listener (and the unenlightened) Danzig appears dark and Satanic, for the sake of being dark and Satanic. The music and subject matter is certainly dark, but the Satanic label is applied much to easily to a band and a man that, certainly does not regularly attend church, but is merely exploring and questioning the darker side of reality, NOT worshiping or promoting it. If you want to hear REAL Satanic music listen to DEICIDE or CRADLE OF FILTH, you'll find them quite juvenille both musically and philisophically compared to DANZIG. 'How the Gods Kill', in my opinion, represents DANZIG at it's/his peak. The music is purposeful and well crafted, every song stands alone yet all are tied together in a significant way. From the powerful pulse of 'Godless', the dark and beautiful title track (one of the most powerful songs ever written/recorded), to the delicate sappiness of 'Sistinas' this album is a must have for any rock/blues/metal fan. If you have already been exposed to some of Danzig's music and are truly intriged by what you've heard, do yourself a favor and purchase the MISFITS boxed set, SAMHAIN boxed set, and every Danizg album up to 4p. Listen to them in that order and you will have heard one of the greatest, most powerful, misunderstood, and underappreciated musical forces of all time.

Glenn Danzig is the Nick Cave of bluesy, satanic metal. He takes blues guitar notes, adds crunching metal distortion and then tops it all off with dark and demonic lyrics that are slightly reminiscent of what Elvis might sound like if he were into metal. What a fine combination. Seriously, it is. If you haven't heard any of Danzig's music, but my description sounds interesting, then by all means check him out. Danzig creates some truly stylish metal.

Danzig's third album is full of pure passion, energy, and charm. Although few thought this was joke, many more of us realized how truly awesome the power of this album truly is. Danzig's vocals have never displayed such passionate drama; John Christ's guitar work keeps getting better; and the songwriting is tremendous. HOW THE GODS KILL is truly an album that belongs in a metal collection...period.

First off, the album is chock full of explosive and energetic moments, but also some of the most important songs in the Danzig catalog. The title track is the album's centerpiece and one of the best tracks by Danzig...period. the raw passion on this song is unbridled, and the musical work here is downright intense...from the quiet beginning to the explosive ending. "Godless" is also a grand track, with John's fiery guitar work and Chuck Biscuits impressive drumming (and let's not leave out Eerie Von's great bass). "Dirty Black Summer" is one of the best harder tracks on the album, besides "Do You Wear The Mark" and the excellent bluesy feel to "Bodies". Also, "Sistinas" is one of the most beautiful and haunting ballads Danzig has ever recorded.

In the purest sense possible, HOW THE GODS KILL is a tremendous album, and truly an important album in all metal period. The passion and the energy on this album are untamed, and this is a true masterpiece...in the purest sense possible.

Anyone who says How the Gods Kill is "pretty good" is not a true Danzig fan. This has a great soft song in Sistinas, bluesy metal in Heart of the Devil, and several straight-up heavies including Godless, the title track, and Dirty Black Summer. This is close to being the best output from Danzing, if not THE best.

...Hell hath no fury like Glenn Danzig. This man knows how to make an album that appeals to the dark side of life. Godless is amazing and sets the mood for the whole album. Get it if you know what's good for you!

This is the second album that i have bought by Danzig and I have to say that it is not dissapointing in any way whatsoever. I always found his music a wonderful way to channel all the negative, deranged energy out of me. Perhaps even harness some of it for a time. To either piss us off, or bring us down, he succeeds. The highlights of this album are "Heart of the devil", "Sistinas", and "Bodies". Its definitely not an album that I neglect, although I cant say it would be on my desserted island list if I had to choose a select few. But excellent none the less.

I just pulled the CD off the shelf and gave it a listen once again. It's not something I listen to very often but I find myself reminising and singing "Dirty Black Summer" at random times. I probably haven't heard this album in about two years. It's never sitting in my CD tray but one thing is still true about Danzig: Originality. My tastes have changed over the years but Danzig still hits me with the feeling of youthful exploits and abandon. Thanks Danzig. By the way, If you really want to know what Danzig is all about get your hands on the first (self-titled) CD. I saw the concert for it back in the 80's at the Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY. I got to shake the mans hand. Best show ever...

Glenn Danzig is a good writer and an amazing vocalist. He sings softly very well but where he really shines are his (at leat seemingly) heartfelt howling notes. The emotional impact of his vocals is very similar to the impact of a good Pink Floyd song, beautiful and moving, and quite often, pissed off as hell. One final note: LEFT HAND BLACK IS THE ULTAMATE ENERGIZING, THRASHING, ASS KICKING SONG. It is the only song that always leaves me powerless to resist movement.

This is just a purely great CD. Every song is enjoyable. I think 3 is the best Danzig CD. Great songs include: Anything, How the Gods Kill, Heart of the Devil, Sistinas, Do you wear the mark? Check it out it's killer!