Let me start by simply stating that an album title doesn't get much more Metal sounding than How The Gods Kill. I'm also proud to say I come from a High School where I was able to hear this song for the first time by borrowing it from the school's prime minister, who was also the vocalist for Riverside's most popular Punk band. Although some might say that last sentence may be debateable. Now Tim's working with George Stroumboulopoulos, who also helped introduce me to some awesome music.
This is my favourite Danzig Album. Admittedly I haven't listened to anything past Danzig IV, because the band went in a musical direction I wasn't overly impressed with. However, this album is a completely different story.
For starters, the album opens with Godless. This song just comes flying out of the speakers like a bat out of hell, and just releases a giant roar of pure Gothic Metal, before slowing right down. Then rapidly disolving a state of mourning, before returning to full tilt Metal. Glenn Danzig knew what he was doing when he produced this album. Right off the bat you can hear that he was going for an artistry, not just simple songs.
Anything, follows that up with Glenn's absolutely beautiful crooning of the lryics, "anything you want / anything the world has to offer / i can give you / if you just reach out to me / take my hand / everything a kiss cannot bring / i will give you / if you just say you will / and it's freedom / in my arms / and it's freedom in my arms / in my arms / in my arms / in my arms". Then the song just explodes into a fantastic Love Metal track.
I guess I should mention that this album contains styles of music that in retrospect were well ahead of their time. There's Love Metal, which anyone that listens to HIM would get. There's Goth Metal, with such dark and ominous tones throughout the entire album. Then there's the Dark Hard Rock sound which is only found on certain albums by certain older musicians.
Bodies is one of the weaker songs on this album, and I only say that because it just sounds like a jacked up Misfits song. Which is totally cool with me, it just makes the song seem a bit basic and standard. However, this is a killer tune and I wouldn't think twice about cranking it just for fun.
Then it's on to the title track of the album. First off, How The Gods Kill is not only beautiful in it's delivery, but it's also haunting in the soul. This song conveys so much emotion, pain, anger, sadness, and despair. "If you feel alive / In a darkened room / Do you know the name / Of your solitude / If you ain't got the answer / If you don't know the truth / If you want the power / Then let it flow through / Would you let it go / Would let it go / They cannot end this morning / Of my life /Show me /How the gods kill / If you feel alive / If you got no fear / Do you know the name / Of the one you seek / If you want the answer / If you want the truth / Look inside your empty soul / There / You'll find the noose / Would you let it go / Would you let it go / They cannot end this morning / Of my life / Show me / How the gods kill". This is the longest song on the album, at just shy of six minutes and you would never guess it. The feel, flow and dynamics to this song are just spectacular in design and execution; producing an epicness that is so badly lacking in a lot of newer music.
I don't have a favourite track on this album. I was never able to make up my mind, about just one track. However, if it isn't How The Gods Kill, then it must be Dirty Black Summer. It has everything a great Rock song must have. It has a big ass, killer, heavy breathing riff. A wicked chugging tempo. Then finally vocals delivered in a way that gets the girls wet, the boys revved up, and the sins flowing. Although easily understood to be a reference to demonics in the Summer season, I prefer to look at this song as a bit of a raunchy track reeking of death and sex.
Left Hand Black is one of those tracks that also has me thinking Misfits, maybe even Samhain, but with more of a polished hard edge. The music of the song conjures the image of an Obsidian sword in my head. There's just such energy and sexy imagery to this one.
I love a good Blues tune, especially hard rockin' ones, and Heart Of The Devil is one of those kinds of songs. It's a bit cliche in musical performance, and delivery, but when it comes to the Blues that doesn't matter. This is one of those songs that has me thinking of what The Doors may have sounded like if they had come out in the 1990's.
"Take my hand / you'll / never find / another / quite like mine / if you look / you'll / see that I'm / a lonely one / I / lost my soul / deep inside / and it's so / black / and cold / deep inside / sistine smile / you'll / never know / the trap it's set / and if you did / you'll / never look / into / its eyes / the sun don't shine / the wind won't blow / when you go hide / without your love / I'm lonely / deep inside", are the words to the beautiful and pretty Gothic ballroom number Sistinas. I don't know how the hell Danzig was able to release this song and not have the fans want to lynch him. However, Glenn got Love Metal long before there was a Love Metal, and clearly his fans understood it as well. It's easy to picture this song being played during some big dance scene right before the boys go off to war in a movie.
The it's back to your more standard and acceptable Metal with Do You Wear The Mark. This is the only other track on the album I find as much of a let down as Bodies. Which if you are keeping track you'll understand isn't that much of a let down. This song isn't so much Punk sounding as Bodies, but it's not anything special compared to the other tracks that make up this album.
The album ends with another song that I could easily consider my favourite from this album. When The Dying Calls, is one of those great ghost story kind of songs. The last verse and chorus especially give me chills of excitement. "Down / through the ages / from the dawn of time / roam / through the world of dreams / up / drom the black / of the Mississippi mud / calling / out to everything / down / down / down / I'm gonna bring you / down / that's when the dying calls / if I play / in the dark of this world / if I lose / don't mind / that's when the dying calls".
This is one of those albums that will aways be loved as an underground classic of sorts. I know that it got some pretty big mainstream exposure, but considering when it came out, and the other albums much larger at the time bands were releasing, this album could never be considered a major release. I am so thankful for that as well. I would much rather have this album respected by people because of how amazing it is, than have a bunch of false fans making it sound like the next White album, Black album, or whatever else fits the bill.
9/10 - content
8/10 - production
9/10 - personal bias
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