Danzig Brings Summer Heat Early With ‘Black Laden Crown’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

[rating=9.00]

Summer brings family vacations and big action-packed Hollywood blockbusters.  This summer is poised to heat up early with the blazing new scorcher from Danzig, Black Laden Crown.  It’s been seven years since the band last put out an album of new material, 2010’s Deth Red Sabaoth.  Also worth noting is this has marked the band’s longest stretch of time passed between studio albums.  The new album took three years to record but the band doesn’t seem to be hurried these days and why rush a good thing.  Produced by lead singer, Glenn Danzig, Black Laden Crown is a solid metal record from start to finish.

The album opens with the title cut, “Black Laden Crown,” an ominous tune that musically conveys images of an Irish funeral procession.  The allegorical fire is further stoked by Danzig’s haunting lyric, “I will lay you down on the Black Laden Crown… as your eyes open wide, let your heart bleed to die.”  The second track, “Eyes Ripping Fire,” begins like the first, with a slow building march, but quickly bursts with a classic metal riff and establishes itself as the album’s first rocker.  The noticeably odd thing about the song is that it fades out and ends without any real resolution.  Another chorus with a proper conclusion would have served “Eyes Ripping Fire” justice.

“Devil On Hwy 9” is the album’s lead single and perhaps the highlight of the record.  With every element in the Danzig arsenal present, the song leans and punches with properly placed scathing guitar leads and a fitting coda.  The power of the first few tunes prepares the listener for the slow simmer of the middle of the record with “Last Ride” and “The Witching Hour.”  Nobody does dark gospel as well as Glenn Danzig and he preaches his doom sermon with ease through the most evil yet delicate moments.  “But A Nightmare” is the Danzig show at its finest, creating a very metal frightfest that beckons to be cranked at maximum volume.

The album closes out with “Skulls & Daises”, “Blackness Falls” and “Pull The Sun.”  Collectively, the batch of nine songs represents everything that Danzig fans have come to love about the band.  This is without a doubt a Danzig record.  It may not be remarkable but it does what it’s supposed to do – make you want to turn it up loud and pump your fist in the air.  Glenn Danzig provides solid rhythm guitars and consistent vocals, while Tommy Victor handles double duties on bass and lead guitars.  Four different drummers contributed to this record, most notably Joey Castillo.  This album is Castillo’s return to the studio with Danzig since 2002’s I, Luceferi.  Hopefully the band makes a decision to assemble a live ensemble and take the show on the road to support Black Laden Crown.  Until then, hop in your hot rod and press play on this album and turn it up to 11.  Make sure your AC is working, because this sucker is gonna burn you up!