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Glenn Danzig

COLISEUM/DOOMRIDERS: NOT OF THIS WORLD

(MAGIC BULLET RECORDS/AUXILIARY RECORDS/LEVEL PLANE RECORDS; reissue 2016, original release 2005)

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Eleven years ago, Ryan Patterson of Louisville three-piece Coliseum released a split EP on his Auxiliary label, sharing the slab with a Boston band called Doomriders, one of Nate Newton’s many side projects when he isn’t playing bass for Converge. The intent of NOT OF THIS WORLD was to pay tribute to Glenn Danzig’s eponymous metal monster, Danzig. Each choosing one song from Danzig’s 1988 debut, the bands added some originals – very much in a similar vein to Danzig’s dark metal – to the mix (Coliseum, two tracks; Doomriders, one). Now, as part of their twentieth anniversary celebration, Magic Bullet Records has taken the two tribute tracks and stuck ‘em on a special 7” reissue. I wouldn’t have minded hearing the whole thing, but… I will definitely take what I can get.

Coliseum (Matt Jaha, Mike Pascal, Ryan Patterson, circa 2005) (uncredited photo)
Coliseum (Matt Jaha, Mike Pascal, Ryan Patterson, circa 2005) (uncredited photo)

Coliseum’s contribution, “Am I Demon,” comes across as standard-issue lo-fi heavy rock… you know, the good stuff. It’s kinda like Mountain and Blue Cheer tag-teaming with Lemmy, taking the low road while the ref’s not looking to retain their championship belts. Patterson offers suitably dark and gravelly vocals, as well as some brilliant guitar work; bassist Mike Pascal and bassist Matt Jaha lay down an underpinning that is so brutish, so heavy that you could caulk a window with it. If you like what you hear – and who wouldn’t? – check out the band’s latest release, 2015’s ANXIETY’S KISS, available here.

Doomriders (Chris Bevilacqua, Nate Newton, Jebb Riley, Chris Pupecki, circa 2008) (uncredited photo)
Doomriders (Chris Bevilacqua, Nate Newton, Jebb Riley, Chris Pupecki, circa 2008) (uncredited photo)

Possession” comes from Doomriders… DUH! The track starts with a wicked backward guitar that leads into a riff that reminds me of “Battle Axe” by Billion Dollar Babies, with sort of a minimalist (for a metal band, anyway) percussion thing from Chris Bevilacqua and Jebb Riley’s sonorous bass groove; the guitars, supplied by Newton and Chris Pupecki, are more akin to Tony Iommi’s dense slabs of tonality than anything else. Danzig’s punk pedigree is definitely on display on this one, particularly with the Misfits style gang vocals on the chorus. You gotta go back to 2013 to find new music from the quartet with the album GRAND BLOOD. You can find that and everything else Doomriders at this location.

NOT OF THIS WORLD original packaging.
NOT OF THIS WORLD original packaging.

So, short and sweet… just like this awesome blast from the past. Any fan of pure metal, hardcore or any type of aggressive music, really, will want this limited edition release in their collection; likewise, if you’re a fan of any of Glenn Danzig’s previous work, whether it be the Misfits, Samhain or Danzig, this record will fit in nicely with those, as well. It’s available on black, white or clear vinyl from Magic Bullet or any of the usual suspects.

DOYLE: ABOMINATOR

(MONSTER MAN RECORDS; 2013)

Abominator

I guess it’s time I come clean. I wasn’t a big fan of the original Misfits. I’m really not sure if it was Glenn Danzig’s vocals or the… uh… crappy production; I’m tempted to go with the latter, as I was rather fond of Samhain and Glenn definitely hooked me with the gloomier-than-thou Danzig. The first Misfits album I owned was the 1997 “reunion” offering, AMERICAN PSYCHO, with Michale Graves replacing Danzig. It was also around this time that I got to know Jerry, Chud and Doyle. I liked those guys and I liked that version of the band. After Graves, Doyle and Chud left, I got to know returning drummer Robo, former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and, of course, Marky Ramone. Any time I can hear anything new from ANY of these Misfits, I’m a happy camper. Must I say it? I must! I must! He’s ba-ack! I am ecstatic that Doyle has risen from the grave with a new band and a new record, ABOMINATOR.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (photo credit: LOKERSE FEESTEN)
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (photo credit: LOKERSE FEESTEN)

The title track opens the album, a punk/metal hybrid that’s all buzz-saw riffs and doom-laden lyrics. When Alex Story intones, “You will pray for death,” you can almost hear the spirit of Vincent Price laugh and add, “Indeed!” Mister Story sounds a bit like Rob Zombie on “Learn To Bleed,” a thundering Black Label Society style metallic blues with impossibly heavy double bass drum action from everyone’s favorite Abominable Doctor, Chud. “Dreamingdeadgirls” is the best song about necrophilia since “I Love the Dead” in 1973 (although Frank Zappa’s “Dead Girls of London” a few years later comes close). The vocals have a watery, compressed quality that works very nicely in this context and the chorus is a cool, retro “Teen Angel” sort of vibe.

With a buzzing, stinging guitar that hovers just below the pain threshold, “Headhunter” is a bass heavy (compliments of former Graves bassist, Left Hand Graham), chunky blast of grinding metallic bliss. For some utterly insane reason, “Valley of Shadows” reminds me of something that you might hear from Warrant. It manages to rise above thanks to a better bottom end, darker lyrics and harsher vocals. “Land of the Dead” is akin to Danzig’s metal onslaught. In other words, it’s almost oppressively heavy and scary.

Doyle's Alex Story onstage (uncredited photo)
Doyle’s Alex Story onstage (uncredited photo)

Cemeterysexxx” has all the boys and ghouls (sorry… I just couldn’t resist) heading out to the graveyard because “Making love with the dead is the only time I really feel alive.” Doyle incorporates a unique trick into his solo by using tonalities (as opposed to notes); you just don’t hear that kind of thing in this type of music and it works quite well as a result. Doyle’s stinging guitar punches over a slow burn, down-tuned Alice In Chains type of affair carries the first half of “Love Like Murder” before it kicks into early Misfits punk overdrive. This is one of the better tracks from any Misfit (current or former) that I’ve heard in quite awhile.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (uncredited photo)
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (uncredited photo)

Mark of the Beast” features a creepy, atmospheric intro, while the drums have a certain cool swing to them, turning what could have been a rather pedestrian metal slog through the mire into something much more interesting. “Bloodstains” is the song where Doyle finally breaks free of the restraints, reminding us why we’ve missed him so much. The tune is like a sick zombie boogie wonderland. Coming off like a perfect hybrid of Graves-era Misfits and Danzig’s riff-heavy metal, “Hope Hell Is Warm” is the perfect way to close a very fun record. Don’t stay away so long again, Doyle… we need you to scare us back into shape! ABOMINATOR is available as a standard CD and download from all of the usual suspects. A double vinyl version (with a bonus song, “Drawing Down the Moon”) is available exclusively at the band’s web-site, officialdoyle.com.