Danzig II: Lucifuge
| Danzig II: Lucifuge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Studio album by Danzig | ||||
| Released | June 26, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | Hollywood Sound Recorders, Larrabee Sound Studios, 1989-1990 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, blues rock, hard rock | |||
| Length | 49:26 | |||
| Label | Def American Recordings | |||
| Producer | Rick Rubin | |||
| Danzig chronology | ||||
|
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| College Music Journal | (favorable) [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | (A-) [3] |
| Rock Hard |  [4] |
Danzig II: Lucifuge is the second album by Danzig. It was released in 1990 on Def American Recordings and was reissued in the USA and UK in 1998 by Def American's successor, American Recordings.
Contents |
[edit] Music and recording
Lucifuge has a pronounced blues influence that adds a sinister edge akin to records by Howlin' Wolf or Robert Johnson,[5] who have both been accused of playing the "Devil's music".
Glenn Danzig said that the song "Killer Wolf" is “my version of an old blues song about a guy who wolfs around the door of every girl in town.”[6]
Glenn Danzig has described "I'm the One" as “another blues song...about a guy realizing his destiny.”[6] "I'm the One" was originally recorded for Danzig's debut album, as John Christ explained: “We actually recorded "I'm the One" for the first record, but we decided to save it for this record. It fit the mood of the second album much better. Glenn wanted to do that song for a long time - he even knew what kind of video he wanted it to have long before we did it. It's a cool song: just some guitar and vocals and little a hi-hat in the background.”[7]
The introduction to "Long Way Back from Hell" begins with the use of the dive bomb guitar technique.[7] Guitarist John Christ explained: “We worked on the beginning of that song for a long time before we finally got it right - it always sounded too empty. But when Eerie came in with that galloping bass-line, it all kind of fell into place. It has a lot of energy to it and was probably one of the best songs on that album.”[7]
Glenn Danzig spoke about the challenge of writing the song "Her Black Wings": “I always know beforehand what kind of record I want to make. Those ideas dictate how the songs will sound. And sometimes it's not always easy to execute the ideas. For example, writing "Her Black Wings" was a laborious and tedious experience - but that's the way it had to be for the song to come out right.”[8]
"777" is a song about "Armageddon"[6] and includes the use of slide guitar.[9]
"Blood and Tears" is a Roy Orbison-like ballad and one of Glenn Danzig's personal favorites from the album.[9][10]
John Christ provided backup vocal harmonies on the song "Tired of Being Alive". Christ has suggested that “Lyrically, I think the words are about the way Glenn was feeling at the time.”[7] The remaining songs feature subjects including love, sex, evil and religious themes.[6]
A song titled "The Other Side" was finished but not released on the album.[11]
Glenn Danzig has mentioned in interviews the very noticeable similarity of the main riff of the Stone Temple Pilots song "Sex Type Thing" and the Danzig song "Snakes of Christ", the latter of which was released before the former.[12]
Prior to the album release, Glenn Danzig noted how the band had improved in the interim between the debut recording and the recording of Lucifuge: “Everybody's much more comfortable with each other now. We've toured with each other, hung with each other. The rhythm section is much tighter. It's just a much better band, and that comes through on the album.”[11]
[edit] Album title
The title "Lucifuge" is the imperative form of the Latin compound verb lucifugere, from 'lux' (light) + 'fugere' (to flee), which means "to flee or shun the light". If it is to be taken literally, "Lucifuge" is thus a command: "shun the light" or "flee from the light" (or logically, "seek darkness"). "Lucifuge" is also the name of the demon in charge of Hell's government by order of Lucifer, who is also one of the seven princes of Hell. Before its release the album had been tentatively titled "777".[13]
[edit] Artwork and packaging
Most formats feature the original full-color "faces" album cover, composed of portrait photographs of the four band members: these include the 12" vinyl LP, the audio cassette, and the original pressings of the European and Japanese CDs. The most widely distributed format, the North American CD, features the alternate "chest/cross" album cover, a cropped black-and-white close-up of the photograph of Glenn Danzig found on the back of the LP sleeve and on the interior of all formats. All CD releases feature the "faces" picture on the rear of the CD tray.
Early pressings of the CD include a booklet that unfolds into an inverted cross.[14] The booklet features the passage "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do", which is taken from the book of St. John.[15]
Newer American Recordings pressings have a "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" label printed on the booklet artwork; previously this had been a sticker on the outer cellophane wrapping. Like Danzig, this album was issued a Parental Advisory label despite the only instances of profanity being mild and infrequent (in this case, one use of the word "bastard" in "Long Way Back From Hell" and "Pain in the World", and one use of the word "bitch" in "Her Black Wings").
As with the debut album, Lucifuge was distributed by Geffen Records, but due to the nature of Danzig's music, the company refused to put its name on the packaging.[16]
[edit] Reception
- Entertainment Weekly - "Second album, far stronger than the first, by a unique hard rock band that thinks evil dominates the world - and seriously examines the consequences."[17]
- College Music Journal - "A dank bluesy influence makes thundering riffs crunch and groove as the band delves into more styles than ever before."[18]
[edit] Music videos
Music videos were released for the songs "Her Black Wings", "Killer Wolf", "I'm the One" and "Devil's Plaything". Glenn Danzig and Vincent Giordano directed all videos, aside from "Killer Wolf", which was directed by Anton Corbijn. The video for "I'm the One" includes a scene where Danzig wrestles a live alligator.[19] All music videos from the album appeared on the Lucifuge home video.[20]
[edit] Track listing
- "Long Way Back from Hell" - 4:23
- "Snakes of Christ" - 4:33
- "Killer Wolf" - 3:59
- "Tired of Being Alive" - 4:03
- "I'm the One" - 3:21
- "Her Black Wings" - 4:46
- "Devil's Plaything" - 4:13
- "777" - 5:39
- "Blood and Tears" - 4:19
- "Girl" - 4:12
- "Pain in the World" - 5:52
All songs written by Glenn Danzig.
[edit] Credits
[edit] Production
- Producer: Rick Rubin
- Engineers: Dave Bianco, Sylvia Massy, Brendon O'Brien, Martin Schmelze, Jim Scott
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Billboard 200 | 45 |
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r5074
- ^ http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=13923
- ^ "Music Review: Lucifuge, by Danzig – EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,251008,00.html.
- ^ http://www.rockhard.de/index.php?smod=p209MJ56rKOyMTyuWz1iMUIfo2qAo2D9pz9wn2uupzDhpzI2nJI3pl5xMKEunJkJnJI3Wzqlo3IjFHD9pzuspzI2nJI3WzAioaEyoaEWEQ0kAwDkAvL%3D
- ^ "Review of Danzig II". Metal Muscle. Summer 1990. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=muscle.90. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
- ^ a b c d "Danzig: By His Own Design". Faces magazine. Summer 1990. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=faces3.90. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
- ^ a b c d Kitts, Jeff (July 1994). "Prime Cuts: John Christ". Guitar School. http://www.misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=gschool.94. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ Kitts, Jeff (September 1994). "The Dark Knight Returns". Flux Magazine. http://www.misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=flux.94. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
- ^ a b Gitter, Mike (June 30, 1990). "Glenn Danzig: Brawn to be Wild". Kerrang!. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=kerrang.690. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
- ^ Zogbi, Marina (Summer 1990). "Danzig Returns". Misfits Central. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=unknown.s90. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
- ^ a b Chirazi, Stefan (July 1990). "DANZIG Into The Black". RIP magazine. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=rip.790. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
- ^ Blush, Steven (October 1997). "Glenn Danzig Interview". Seconds magazine. http://www.the7thhouse.com/news/Articles/seconds44.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
- ^ Zogbi, Marina (May 1990). "DANZIG: A Helluva Guy". Metal Maniacs. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=maniacs.90. Retrieved 2009-12-06.
- ^ Weidenbaum, Marc (August 1990). "Horror Business". Pulse!. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=pulse.90. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
- ^ "John 8:44". scripturetext.com. http://scripturetext.com/john/8-44.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
- ^ Sherman, Lee (December 1990). "DANZIG Into the Light". Faces magazine. http://misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=faces1.90. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ Sandow, Greg (July 13, 1990). "Lucifuge". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,251008,00.html. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ "Danzig: Danzig II - Lucifuge". College Music Journal. November 10, 2000. http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=13923. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ Sherman, Lee (June 1991). "Lucifuge video review". Faces magazine. http://www.misfitscentral.com/display.php?t=darticle&f=faces.691. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ^ "Lucifuge - Home Video". Danzig-Verotik.com. http://www.danzig-verotik.com/danzig/discvideo/danzig_vid2.html. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
