Music review: Danzig - Danzig II - Lucifuge (1990)

Danzig's second album saw their sound experience a really thorough and unique transformation into what can perhaps be considered the only blues/metal fusion (don't know if Black Sabbath' self-titled counts).

It's not like the previous work lacked any of that Elvis-like crooning (just listen to the amazing "Soul on Fire"), but Lucifuge really focused on it and providing a slower, bluesier music to complement it. And while I love their aforementioned first work bridging that sound with that of Samhain, this is arguably their consistency peak.

The truly exemplary production again helps here: the sound is simultaneously warmer, larger, heavier and darker, like that blast of sweltering air you get when opening an oven door. An oven in Hell's kitchen.

I really can't find any fault with it, even the acoustic tracks/parts that could have easily ended up corny or campy aren't! It's really what I picture when I read about the blues being the "devil's music".

The only things I (and probably others) have against it is that it's a prime example of a mundane idea carried by a supremely good execution and that by the time you have gotten through its 50 minutes, you're generally nearing indigestion. Can't give 10 to something like this, as much as I enjoy it.

PS: you might think I give high ratings too easily, but that's normal since I'm currently reviewing my all-time favourites.