Tag Archives: Fonzig

Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Song Posts, Thrash Metal

The Misfits – Wolf’s Blood

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“And I know I’m not a man”

Back when I reviewed The Misfits’ Earth A.D. album you might have noticed the post’s full title was Earth A.D./Wolf’s Blood. The Misfits’ back catalogue is a bit complicated… the album as a whole is usually just referred to as Earth A.D. That’s what it’s called on the band’s official website and also in their box set (which is the copy I have). But when it was originally released on vinyl it was viewed more like two mini albums and each side had a different title. The first side was Earth A.D. which was loosely post-apocalyptic slasher kinda stuff and the second was called Wolf’s Blood and had a lycanthropic theme running through it. Here’s the title track from that side. It’s neither the craziest or the catchiest song on the album. The verses are generally incomprehensible shouting, like a fight outside a pub. But the chorus is more memorable and sounds deliciously ominous and threatening: very much in the vein of Glenn Danzig’s next band Samhain. I doubt you’ll be humming this one after the album’s finished but its lyrics and mood make it a dangerous deep cut that adds to Earth A.D./Wolf’s Blood‘s hellish and violent impact.

Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal

The Misfits – Earth A.D./Wolf’s Blood (Review)

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The Misfits – Earth A.D./Wolf’s Blood (1983)

Backs blown out by shotgun blasts, skulls ripped out, eyes plucked from heads, hellhound dogs and warrior wasps. Welcome to Earth A.D. Released in 1983, this was the second and last album of The Misfits’ original run with Glenn Danzig at the helm. And they went out with a bang: ripping through eight songs in just under 15 minutes. The album is attacked with such ferocity that it’s often seen as inferior to their catchier debut album Walk Among Us. The 50’s horror and sci-fi fun of the debut had become dark, brutal and unhinged. And the hardcore speed, massive thrash metal guitar tones and shouted vocals all served to bludgeon the debut’s melody to a bloody pulp. But, while Earth A.D. doesn’t quite have any top-tier singalongs like Skulls or Astro Zombies, it still has plenty of hooks. You won’t be able to forget the bouncy chorus of Death Comes Ripping, the ominous croon of Bloodfeast or the gang vocals of the title track. And there’s a real glee in the album’s demented, vehement delivery. From Green Hell‘s muscular metal chugging to Devilock‘s slashing riff, this record gets the blood pumping like no other. In more ways than one. Earth A.D. is the musical equivalent of a killing spree. And if you think that sounds hellish… well, you’re really gonna like it here.

Genre, Hard Rock

Samhain – Initium (Review)

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Samhain – Initium (1984)

Stylistically caught between the fun-filled horror punk of The Misfits and the seductive darkness of Danzig, Glenn Danzig’s second band Samhain are easy to overlook. While I regularly find myself in the mood for the more-renowned acts on either side, I often have to remind myself to forego their obvious joys and spend some time with his “other” band. So this week I’ve been listening to Samhain’s debut Initium.

It’s an album that I’ve liked in the past but not loved. I appreciated the Misfits-style catchiness in tracks like All Murder, All Guts, All Fun and He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named but didn’t regard the tracks as top-tier classics. And I found the rest of the album to be leaden, lo-fi and lacking in cohesion. But recently, I’ve warmed to the occult darkness of tracks like Initium/Samhain and Macabre and I’m finding hitherto overlooked gems here. The “cause I want it, and I need it” chorus of Black Dream is a classic Danzig hook, Archangel closes the album with some catchy 50s swoon and the raging and bloodthirsty The Howl has become a new Danzig favourite.

There’s no doubt that this is a transitional album but its underground horror, dank atmosphere and murderous intent has a charm and (for me) a growing fascination of its own. In the future, I won’t need to remind myself to listen to Initium. Cause now I want it, and I need it.

[Samhain – The Howl]