Danzig - Dethred Sabaoth (2010)

Evil Elvis is back, and this time...it's still dark! Adorned in another semi-comic Gothic sleeve, 'Dethred...' is sharper, and less dense than recent fave '...Satans Child'. The chaotic opener 'Hammer Of The Gods' sees the band caustic, and tight, messed by the punkoid chorus, and there's a feeling here that Mr Danzig is up to his old tricks, recalling the glory days of the band with an oily approach. The Devil's music indeed! Somehow countless bands attempt to conjure demons with their wicked ways but oh so effortlessly, and time and time again, Danzig digs deep into the closet of skeletons and brings forth another cauldron of blasphemic sleaze. 'The Revengeful' isn't too far removed from old Danzig, and Glen's rather hoarse vocal wheeze has gone, this time the king of darkness returns to the slick, black tones of the debut record which now seems so long ago.

Slow-burner 'Rebel Spirits' is a deadly nightshade of a track, and musically the band concoct dark fairy tales and devilish comic-book graphics, all the while their leader spins a planchette over a freshly made Ouija board. This is real heavy metal, black leather, overtly Gothic, and confirmed by my fave cut, 'Black Candy'.

Hard to fault the guy really, despite what purists may say, this is what we except from a Danzig album. Sure, in the past some experimentation has taken place, but the guy has every right. The black country twang of 'On A Wicked Night' has a rural eeriness to it whilst the album closer 'Left Hand Rise Above' wouldn't seem out of place on a David Lynch movie soundtrack. It's all dust, cobwebs and dried blood...

Danzig create gloomy pits which echo to the sound of their creeping rock 'n' roll. Tighter than a nun's vagina, 'Dethred...' is perfect Halloween fodder to keep the trick or treating kids from the door.

At once menacing but still hip-shaking in that special unholy Danzig way. My only quib being that at times the vocal mix appears too loud for the musical backdrop, although known Mr Danzig, this was probably on purpose, because as we know, Satan does like to make himself clear.

8/10