Thrall-Demonsweatlive

Under normal circumstances, 1993’s Thrall-Demonsweatlive is the sort of release that’s barely worth acknowledging. EPs like this were seemingly everywhere in the nineties, serving as spruced up singles bloated with whatever filler they could scrape together rather than the mini albums that better exemplify the format. However, this half-studio, half-live hybrid is an intriguing prospect with the studio songs showing a stopgap in Danzig’s creative trajectory and the live segment offering the version of “Mother” that would end up pushing them into the mainstream.

As expected, the three studio tracks are what make this effort worth checking out. “It’s Coming Down” and “Violet Fire” are a strong one-two punch of original songs, sitting right on that line between the power of How the Gods Kill and the melancholy to be explored further on 4. The former is a strong start with its heavy mid-tempo riff set and the latter has a steady post-punk stride. The cover of Elvis’s “Trouble” also manages to be a fun winner as its shuffle translates well to a heavier band and the tough guy lyrics seem like the sort that Danzig would pen himself. It’s a shame that this decades-early preview of Danzig Sings Elvis has since been buried by the atrocity that we ended up getting…

On the flip side, the live recordings are a rougher listen. The music is competently played with John Christ especially standing out for injecting that How the Gods Kill bite into tracks like “Am I Demon,” but Danzig himself ends up being the weakest link. His struggles are noticeable throughout, cutting several lines short or skipping them entirely to catch his breath and his wails have noticeably less power behind them.

Singing this material is inherently demanding and there’s a certain aura that gets lost from the studio to the stage, all but setting him up for this uphill battle. Perhaps it isn’t so noticeable when one is experiencing that adrenaline rush firsthand but it’s funny to hear folks complain about how he sucks live now when it’s been obvious for about thirty years.

Overall, the strong Thrall and the rocky Demonsweatlive even out to a solid though unexceptional mixed bag. While the setup ensures a release that will only appeal to Danzig’s biggest diehards, the duality makes for a fascinating case study in examining the band’s strengths and weaknesses. We get some neat songs out of it and the warts-and-all live runs could make for some neat nostalgia, even if neither element merit essential listening. It’s a superfluous nineties EP but at least it’s an interesting superfluous nineties EP.

Though this little mini-album is right in the heart of the 'classic' Danzig era, it doesn't offer a whole lot in replay value for the fans. A few otherwise unavailable tunes that are mediocre at best and a small sampling of live tunes are all that are offered here. Perhaps enough to satisfy some, others will be left wanting more.

The three new tracks are the core of this EP. "It's Coming Down" has that classic Danzig crunch, though it's slightly less memorable than tunes from the preceding albums. "The Violet Fire" has more potential, featuring one of those classic John Christ layered acoustic/electric riffs. "Trouble" is the third track and is bluesy as fuck. Heavy metal Elvis pays tribute to his predecessor. Enough said. Good songs these are, essential songs they are not.

The live tunes cover all three albums released by this lineup. "Snakes of Christ," "Sistinas," "Mother," and "Am I Demon" rock hard, but are inferior to the studio versions (Danzig's vocals aren't as good, sounding a bit distorted at times). "Sistinas" is rendered pretty creepily on here, but these really aren't essential either. And if one version of "Mother" isn't enough on an album, the bonus track (track 99 or something) is a re-recording of this 'classic' song. It lacks the dirty charm of the original recording, as this version is slicker and more refined. Danzig's music doesn't need to be slick or refined, it just needs to rock, which this version does to a much lesser extent.

Hardcore fans might enjoy this track list, but this serves as a pretty sucky introduction to Danzig's material, despite the broad selection of songs. Sorry Glenn, but the studio albums are just fine, thanks.

This is probably the only exciting Danzig live release ("Live on the Black Hand Side" is fair at best, with it's lazy mix and dry soundboard quality) to make the market. Mixed with three new studio goodies, this EP kicks some serious tail and proves why Danzig is/was one of the most exciting acts in rock and roll history. Stellar production, no performance edits and a recording so crisp one can hear people talking about potential crowd injuries...this has it all.

Classics like "Snakes of Christ", "Sistinas" and "Mother" slam alongside new studio recordings like "It's Coming Down" and the catchy cover "Trouble". Danzig sounds tight, the songs are chosen from the best mixes and the only issue one might have is that the fucking EP is just a little too short. (No forgiveness can be had for the teasing slide of "Dirty Black Summer" ending the proceedings.)

Danzig was the man in his day...and while still a force of sorts, this manages to document his best days.

Buy or die!