(Evil/Live-Regain-MDM Records)

Circle of Snakes went curiously overlooked when it was released at the end of last summer; and with his tour underway to support the record, it is high time to consider the eighth studio record of the singer and band known as Danzig.

The brief instrumental opener “Wotan’s Procession” is a dirge that sets the tone for the record: the production of the entire cd (by Glenn Danzig) is extremely raw, and in lieu of putting the vocals at the top of the mix, the guitars (Tommy Victor, Jerry Montano) and drums (Bevan Davies) are pushed forward while the singer sounds (at times) as if he wasn’t anywhere near the microphone. The full effect resonates with the feeling of the band having been recorded live-to-tape with pretty sensational results.

Danzig is at his best soaring over a slow chugging riff and Circle of Snakes does not disappoint. “SkinCarver” kicks you right in the nuts. Tommy Victor bloodies his strings as his guitar squeals over a savage double-bass drum head-banging attack, while Danzig roars about a serial killer with a fascination for human pelts. Either that or he’s decrying the Hollywood plastic surgeons who dominate entertainment television. Only Danzig knows for sure, but it brutally out-rocks the legions of Hot Topic goofballs who have been plundering this man’s work for years. Plus, it’s goddamn catchy.

- advertisement -

Danzig’s ability to craft memorable songs remains undiminished by time, even if the lyrics aren’t always easy to discern. The title track is a crushing Prong-groove with a chorus simply made to be shouted along with, “Halfway to Hell/Halfway to Hell/Halfway to hellbent…” “1000 Devils Reign” blazes along with the fist-pumping glory of a lost Misfits number metalled-up for those who missed out the first time around.

Lending to the gloomy murk of his earlier efforts, Circle of Snakes has its share of gripping funeral processions in songs like the fantastic “Netherboun,” “When We Were Dead” and “Skull Forrest.”

But the real winner on the record is the closing number, “Black Angel, White Angel.” An explosive song with vibrant guitar reminiscent of the best moments within Danzig I – IV, it stands out as the brightest point on the record. It definitely feels like a lost gem from fifteen years ago, and may be one the finest songs Glenn Danzig has ever written. Eschewing the thick sludge that marks the rest of the record, the song is built upon a simple riff, but the beauty of it lies in the superb bridge-to-chorus build-up/crescendo with Danzig in Jim Morrison mode (“Come down and lay in the danger”) then spirals into a leads-frenzy fade-out. Though Danzig is too whatever (dark? Evil?) for mainstream radio, one can imagine it being a hit nonetheless.

Circle of Snakes is damn fine metallic rock record; and an excellent Danzig record. Label-changes, line-up changes, and time have not stopped this man from making great music, and metal fans shouldn’t wait for a box set to appreciate the great stuff that’s happening right now.

* * * ½

eol081 - 5/11/2005 9:20:57 AM
Danzig may well be the most self-centered person on this planet with an image bordering to parody, but he still makes some kick-ass music!

MollyHatchetT_ - 3/15/2005 8:37:23 AM
Sure, DUMMY!: Dam! Now I know the 2nd reason I HATE NITECLUBS! Danzig's concert was A-o.k. Although, the type of entities that hang-out in those places have got to be the most uncouth, grotesque, entities, with the exception of me & my retinue, I've ever had the displeasure of subjecting my presence to. I just had to see, for myself, if the vocalist was still buffed, handsome & healthy. I couldn't figure out his age, though. Angel & Mondobeyondo went closer to the stage than I did, and Mondo told me that the singer was all wrinkled & old like Steven Tyler. I couldn't see that good, from the bar, however, what I did manage to see, I savored, immensely. The drummer was set high atop the rest of the group. He was FANtastic! The vocalist riled-up the crowd more than the 1st two bands could. Kataklysym proved to be more interesting than the 1st group, "Eyes On Fire", or it could've been "Eyes Of Fire". I can't remember. I was sober! I was the designated driver. I was still hanging-over, & exhausted from dancing 'all' night long on Fri. nite, anyway. I liked 1 song from each of the 1st 2 groups. Danzig was the BEST! I was hoping he would've taken his LEATHER vest off, though. He didn't. I wanted to wreckless-eyeball his pecs. His Bi-ceps are still amazingly healthy. His hair still blk. & handsome. His gluteus-MAXIMUS is still well-rounded, tight & seXy. Truthfully, though, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I was dumbfounded & in LOVE, again. I don't remember blinking, neither. Angel came back w/2dudes from Kataklysym & managed to get their autographs, shook-hands, hung-out w/us a bit, obliged w/the crowd gathering around us (not that there wasn't a crowd, already, around us). The bar was full, especially on the side we were on. The bartender got tired 'real' fast. The dumb, blonde, BIMBO, waitress lived up to her reputation: SLOW, STUPID, & SLUTTY. The bouncers threw out at least 4-6 upstarts that wanted to mosh. Outside, there were a few out-of-hand PUNKS, but the biker-bouncers managed to tame them down & had to literally & brutally force themselves (in numbers)upon some of them. The majority of the attendees wore blk. I was wearing blk. & wht. while prp-ing, of course! What is it with F'NUGLY people? I tell you, honestly, the most hideous-lOOking people have a perpetual chip on their shoulder. Angel is one of the most care-free, happy-go-lucky (except in LOVE. . . Poor dude)guys on this universe, and, at least, 6 or more guys tried to start s#!t w/him. I stopped one BIG, FAT, BLOCK-HEADED, drk.-skinned, brwn.-eyed, blk.-haired, Mexican/Latino/Hispanic looking dude from all most starting a fist/physical fight w/Angel. I wasn't scared! I don't care how big or ugly a person is. I will defend myself & those whom I love & care for, all ways. I wasn't drinking, Angel & Mondo were. Another short, carrot-nosed, 1/2 bald Iranian/Muslim/Indian/Mexican drk.-hair/skin (exactly like dennisthemenace's pic), started doing shots of "El Himador" (sp?) w/Angel. All of a sudden, he wants a shot, but he has no $$$. So, he takes Angel's shot. They get into a profanic-fight. At least 4 bouncers come over & try & throw Angel out, & they hug & kiss the Muslim-looking dude on the cheek(biker-looking-bouncers, mind you(s). Mondo gives the bartender 6 bucks & tells him to squash the bill. The bartender makes the Iranian-looking dude sign a, sort of, I.O.U. & Angel is still steaming at the whole episode. I calm Angel down, hug him, kiss him on the cheek, & make sure he's cheerful & happy again. He starts dancing to Danzig. I go back to the bar, & the ugliest derelicts from nowhere have taken over. The bar was closed now. No wonder, I thought. I go toward the middle of the venue, & 2 bartenders 'rudely' jump over the bar where I'm standing at googling over Danzig. I only saw 2 nice concert t-shirts in the whole place: Led Zeppelin & Megadeth. The rest were unmentionably in bad taste & not worthy of naming, or Misfits. I went out to the parking-lot before the encore. They played 2 songs for the encore while 6 police circled the area & parked. I tried passing-out KNAC stickers, Angel gave me, & a HUGE Mexican-looking crowd of UGLY males & females shook there heads & said no w/a disgusting grimace on their mugs. The blu.-eyed, blonde-haired, wht./American guy, w/a PANTERA t-shirt, took a stack, gladly & joyfully. He actually smiled & said, "Thanks, I'll give the rest to my pals & girl-friends." Another, Reggae looking wht./American blu.-eyed, blonde-haired, cutie w/dred-lox, stoned & smiling said, "Hey, whatcha got there? I'll gladly pass the rest of those out for you!" And, he did, immediately, to the crowd coming out of the club. I went on my merry way. Oh, and another thing. . . . . Ugly people are the worst people on this universe! Good-looking people rule! I'd like to hook-up w/the HANDSOME-LEATHER dude in the DEMONSWEATLIVE t-shirt. He didn't look like he was taken. He had long brn. hair, metal spikes, a 'very' sweet smile/voice, & blk. finger-nails. He wasn't very tall, but he wasn't short, neither. There were 2 blonde, skinny lesbians trying to rub my a$$ w/their leg, hand, & torsos. I had to keep shifting around at the corner of the bar, to different stools. 2 stools were cushiony. 1 stool had a happy, yel./face on it, but it was too hard! Ouchy! I was next to the sound-crew, as uSUEal. A tall, lanky, big-bOObed, (too long to be real)blonde, long-haired 'IT' came in, before Danzig hit the stage. She was a SHOW-STOPPER alright! Everyone couldn't help but stare. Peter, a handsome chap from Michigan that was next to me, said whatever it was...It was ALL FAKE! He said, when I asked him, "What is it, male or female? Is it Vince Neil or Pamela Anderson, or is it a cross btwn. them all and FRANKENSTEIN/HERMAN MUNSTER, & Tommy Lee too?" He just answered, "All I can say is that none of it is real, it's all fake!" He was cool too. I told Mondo to check it out, & he couldn't check it out. It wouldn't show its face. It was F'NUGLY! YUCK! And those tits! They lOOked like rocks formed, painted & shaped to lOOk like breasts. UGH! It was honestly REPULSIVE. I have to say, though, I was SUErounded by nothing but cuties & hotties. (Kisses to Peter. You handsome devil). Boy! I can't wait for Billy Idol. That's going to be a BLAST! PARTY-TIME W/A REBEL YELL! Danzig sang mostly songs w/Angels in them. Angel was so EXCITED & happy. I was happy just to see him happy, again.

Far_Beyond_Evil - 3/14/2005 11:56:04 PM
WHAT?!?!? Could you repeat that!

MollyHatchetT_ - 3/14/2005 1:53:47 PM
Dam! Now I know the 2nd reason I HATE NITECLUBS! Danzig's concert was A-o.k. Although, the type of entities that hang-out in those places have got to be the most uncouth, grotesque, entities, with the exception of me & my retinue, I've ever had the displeasure of subjecting my presence to. I just had to see, for myself, if the vocalist was still buffed, handsome & healthy. I couldn't figure out his age, though. Angel & Mondobeyondo went closer to the stage than I did, and Mondo told me that the singer was all wrinkled & old like Steven Tyler. I couldn't see that good, from the bar, however, what I did manage to see, I savored, immensely. The drummer was set high atop the rest of the group. He was FANtastic! The vocalist riled-up the crowd more than the 1st two bands could. Kataklysym proved to be more interesting than the 1st group, "Eyes On Fire", or it could've been "Eyes Of Fire". I can't remember. I was sober! I was the designated driver. I was still hanging-over, & exhausted from dancing 'all' night long on Fri. nite, anyway. I liked 1 song from each of the 1st 2 groups. Danzig was the BEST! I was hoping he would've taken his LEATHER vest off, though. He didn't. I wanted to wreckless-eyeball his pecs. His Bi-ceps are still amazingly healthy. His hair still blk. & handsome. His gluteus-MAXIMUS is still well-rounded, tight & seXy. Truthfully, though, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I was dumbfounded & in LOVE, again. I don't remember blinking, neither. Angel came back w/2dudes from Kataklysym & managed to get their autographs, shook-hands, hung-out w/us a bit, obliged w/the crowd gathering around us (not that there wasn't a crowd, already, around us). The bar was full, especially on the side we were on. The bartender got tired 'real' fast. The dumb, blonde, BIMBO, waitress lived up to her reputation: SLOW, STUPID, & SLUTTY. The bouncers threw out at least 4-6 upstarts that wanted to mosh. Outside, there were a few out-of-hand PUNKS, but the biker-bouncers managed to tame them down & had to literally & brutally force themselves (in numbers)upon some of them. The majority of the attendees wore blk. I was wearing blk. & wht. while prp-ing, of course! What is it with F'NUGLY people? I tell you, honestly, the most hideous-lOOking people have a perpetual chip on their shoulder. Angel is one of the most care-free, happy-go-lucky (except in LOVE. . . Poor dude)guys on this universe, and, at least, 6 or more guys tried to start s#!t w/him. I stopped one BIG, FAT, BLOCK-HEADED, drk.-skinned, brwn.-eyed, blk.-haired, Mexican/Latino/Hispanic looking dude from all most starting a fist/physical fight w/Angel. I wasn't scared! I don't care how big or ugly a person is. I will defend myself & those whom I love & care for, all ways. I wasn't drinking, Angel & Mondo were. Another short, carrot-nosed, 1/2 bald Iranian/Muslim/Indian/Mexican drk.-hair/skin (exactly like dennisthemenace's pic), started doing shots of "El Himador" (sp?) w/Angel. All of a sudden, he wants a shot, but he has no $$$. So, he takes Angel's shot. They get into a profanic-fight. At least 4 bouncers come over & try & throw Angel out, & they hug & kiss the Muslim-looking dude on the cheek(biker-looking-bouncers, mind you(s). Mondo gives the bartender 6 bucks & tells him to squash the bill. The bartender makes the Iranian-looking dude sign a, sort of, I.O.U. & Angel is still steaming at the whole episode. I calm Angel down, hug him, kiss him on the cheek, & make sure he's cheerful & happy again. He starts dancing to Danzig. I go back to the bar, & the ugliest derelicts from nowhere have taken over. The bar was closed now. No wonder, I thought. I go toward the middle of the venue, & 2 bartenders 'rudely' jump over the bar where I'm standing at googling over Danzig. I only saw 2 nice concert t-shirts in the whole place: Led Zeppelin & Megadeth. The rest were unmentionably in bad taste & not worthy of naming, or Misfits. I went out to the parking-lot before the encore. They played 2 songs for the encore while 6 police circled the area & parked. I tried passing-out KNAC stickers, Angel gave me, & a HUGE Mexican-looking crowd of UGLY males & females shook there heads & said no w/a disgusting grimace on their mugs. The blu.-eyed, blonde-haired, wht./American guy, w/a PANTERA t-shirt, took a stack, gladly & joyfully. He actually smiled & said, "Thanks, I'll give the rest to my pals & girl-friends." Another, Reggae looking wht./American blu.-eyed, blonde-haired, cutie w/dred-lox, stoned & smiling said, "Hey, whatcha got there? I'll gladly pass the rest of those out for you!" And, he did, immediately, to the crowd coming out of the club. I went on my merry way. Oh, and another thing. . . . . Ugly people are the worst people on this universe! Good-looking people rule! I'd like to hook-up w/the HANDSOME-LEATHER dude in the DEMONSWEATLIVE t-shirt. He didn't look like he was taken. He had long brn. hair, metal spikes, a 'very' sweet smile/voice, & blk. finger-nails. He wasn't very tall, but he wasn't short, neither. There were 2 blonde, skinny lesbians trying to rub my a$$ w/their leg, hand, & torsos. I had to keep shifting around at the corner of the bar, to different stools. 2 stools were cushiony. 1 stool had a happy, yel./face on it, but it was too hard! Ouchy! I was next to the sound-crew, as uSUEal. A tall, lanky, big-bOObed, (too long to be real)blonde, long-haired 'IT' came in, before Danzig hit the stage. She was a SHOW-STOPPER alright! Everyone couldn't help but stare. Peter, a handsome chap from Michigan that was next to me, said whatever it was...It was ALL FAKE! He said, when I asked him, "What is it, male or female? Is it Vince Neil or Pamela Anderson, or is it a cross btwn. them all and FRANKENSTEIN/HERMAN MUNSTER, & Tommy Lee too?" He just answered, "All I can say is that none of it is real, it's all fake!" He was cool too. I told Mondo to check it out, & he couldn't check it out. It wouldn't show its face. It was F'NUGLY! YUCK! And those tits! They lOOked like rocks formed, painted & shaped to lOOk like breasts. UGH! It was honestly REPULSIVE. I have to say, though, I was SUErounded by nothing but cuties & hotties. (Kisses to Peter. You handsome devil). Boy! I can't wait for Billy Idol. That's going to be a BLAST! PARTY-TIME W/A REBEL YELL! Danzig sang mostly songs w/Angels in them. Angel was so EXCITED & happy. I was happy just to see him happy, again.

roorowler - 3/11/2005 2:41:02 PM
i feel the love glen express in sound and he kicks ass forever

stevereno - 3/11/2005 11:21:54 AM
what did the 5 fingers say to the face???? SLAP

Sardines - 3/8/2005 7:22:37 PM
i'm the devil now give me all your money.

hanscholo - 3/8/2005 9:00:14 AM
My farts smell like lilacs.

John_Black - 3/5/2005 7:52:11 AM
Uh-Oh the baby is crying again. Someone get the baby his bottle.

fizzgig - 3/3/2005 10:56:00 PM
"Curiously overlooked," is, I imagine, Stingley's way of making excuses for KNAC's not having reviewed this album sooner (despite a professed desire to be as current as possible with reviews). Or perhaps a sly way of drawing attention to that oversight.

hairybeaver - 3/3/2005 12:24:04 PM
I don't give a shit about Wotan or any of this Dungeons and Dragons nerd shit. Perhaps the release was "curiously overlooked" because it sucks? Danzig's like The Who- he'll be doing "farewell" tours until he's way past his prime (which was long ago). What's next? Danzig and Kenny Chesney on tour? Hopefully, Danzig's invested his earnings and has a nice nestegg and retirement fund set up so he won't be eating dog food when he's 60 years old (next year?).

GraviFan - 3/3/2005 11:47:29 AM
only thing i have to say is...i love Danzig...he can do as he pleases too!

Bman1234 - 3/3/2005 9:43:11 AM
Wait...this Danzig Def Leppard story is new to me...and Holy Crap if it's true. Exactly what are all the details? Viv. actually dropping him? Oh man.

Magnum - 3/2/2005 5:45:12 PM
this review is dead-on. great album. that fat bastard got in a lucky hay-maker that connected. who gives a shit. danzig kills it -- always has, always will.

corswany - 3/2/2005 8:56:35 AM
I just remembered the last time I saw Danzig was in 1999 with tickets I won from KNAC.

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