DANZIG returns with a bold new album, a new label and an in-progress U.S.
tour with Ozzy Osbourne, which began September 14 in Columbia, MD. and will
conclude October 26th in San Bernardino, CA.
Blackacidevil--Danzig's first for Hollywood Reocrds--is due out
Halloween. Produced by Glenn Danzig and engineered by Bill Kennedy, the
album features 10 songs including the first radio/video cut "Sacrifice,"
the title track, "Serpentia," "Hint Of Her Blood," "7th House," "Ashes,"
"Power Of Darkness" and an industrial-strength version of the Black Sabbath
gem "Hand Of Doom," with new lyrics written by Glenn.
The first single "Sacrifice" has just been shipped to radio, with a video
to be shot while the band are on tour. According to Glenn, the song is
"basically about sacrificing yourself throughout your life. It's about
giving a little more than you should be giving." He continues, "It's not
about ritual sacrifice...It's a play on words, not about killing animals.
It's more about killing yourself, little by little."
Danzig has always stood for integrity. Glenn created DANZIG from the start
with his own vision and spirit. He used his last name as the group's
moniker so he would never have to change the name of his band again,
whether or not band members altered. "DANZIG would always be about what I
was writing and what I was thinking," Glenn emphatically states. "I will
never compromise my muscial vision."
On blackacidevil, Danzig builds upon the dark, moody and pagan-themed
hard music he's known for (over the course of four albums and an EP--1988's
Danzig, 1990's Danzig II-Lucifuge, 1992's Danzig III-How The Gods Kill,
1993's Thrall-Demonsweatlive, and 1994's Danzig 4p) and incorporates some
new sounds and technology into the mix. "I wanted to do something that
nobody else was really doing. So I took an element of industrial that I liked
here, and an element of techno there, then mixed it with what I normally
do. I took the best elements of that stuff. They're powerful when used
properly. Then, I'd still experiment with different directions--which I
wanted to do anyway--and then watch what happend when I mixed it together."
For the album, Glenn played most of the guitars himself, except on "Hand
Of Doom," "See All You Where" and "Come To Silver," which features the
work of Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains. Joey Castillo plays drums on
the entire record, while new bassist Josh Lazie is on one song. Guitarist
Tommy Victor joined the band just days before DANZIG hit the road with
Ozzy.
As for the current tour, DANZIG was thrilled to be invited as Ozzy's special
guests. "I'm a big fan of Ozzy's. Black Sabbath was the first band I saw
when I was a kid. I was honored that they asked. A lot of people have been
scared to take us out in the past. I think the only other bands we've gone
out with were Metallica and Slayer early on."
DANZIG has also channeled his district vision and talents into his comic
company VEROTIK, which publishes numerous books including Death Dealer,
Satanika, Verotika, Venus Domina, Devilman, Sunglasses After Dark, and
Jaguar God, among others. Writers and artists featured in Verotik's line-up
include Nancy Collins, Lucy Taylor, Rex Miller, Grant Morrison, Graham
Masterton, Ruthie Smith Barlow, Martin Edmond, Edward Lee, Dave Stevens,
Go Nagai, Duke Mighten, Stan Shaw, Eric Canette, and Kim Hagen. This
company--of which Glenn is publisher, editor, owner, writer, etc.--also
has numerous film projects in developments.