Here’s a crazy, hypothetical scenario. Rewind the clocks a couple of decades and suppose Glenn Danzig had never formed the Misfits, hadn’t gone on to make music with Samhain, and most definitely never ended up doing a solo project. Suppose instead that he had become, I don’t know, a production line manager or a B-movie actor or something, anything but going the musical route, and then wind the clocks forward to 2009 when yours truly is writing a review for Blood And Ashes, and I guess I would consider this to be highly unique. Then again, had the music world never had the evil Elvis, chances are that Marduk founder ‘Evil’ Morgan Hakansson wouldn’t have formed Devils Whorehouse and I wouldn’t be reviewing this CD today.
Given that the above scenario is only hypothetical, I can’t claim that this is very original stuff, but then what is these days? Think of how many bands out there are ripping off Iron Maiden, or rehashing riffs Slayer used 20 years ago and the legion of Danzig sycophants pale in comparison. Safe to say, he is in a class of his own, and certainly had no-one peering over his shoulder copying his homework, although after years of playing as a tribute act, Devils Whorehouse have graduated the Danzig Academy and are putting out their own brand of bluesy, punkified metal.
Now that we’ve established that Devils Whorehouse aren’t breaking any boundaries, I will plough on and begin by stating that It’s really hard to be disappointed with this album. Not only is it really well executed and well produced and all the other wells you’d expect from a good album, but it’s more infectious than the press have made Swine Flu out to be (because, face it, you’re still here reading this, ain’t ya?) ‘Wicked One’ takes a lunge straight for the jugular with its wicked riffs (see what I did there?) and punked up drumming, before a northerly wind blows in with ‘Speak The Name Of The Dead’ which carries a nice black metal overtone in the cold, atmospheric riffage which plays against the mellow, blues laden chorus.
The vocals, as you might already have guessed, are deep and melodious with the warm intonation Danzig fans will really take to their heart. It’s difficult to be offended by such blatant homage when it is done with such poise. There’s a confident swagger that comes across on ‘Demons Of The Flesh…’ which rolls along just nicely, hypnotising one into a steady head bang. It doesn’t take a PHD Graduate to suss out the lyrics here either; fair to say werewolves and demons and the devils abode are all on the menu for consumption, and I for one can eat up the likes of ‘Werewolf Nation’ with its smooth and sinisterly sinuous chorus that lures you in with the underlying evil intent that fails to show itself, bubbling beneath the surface waiting for the right moment to strike, before dragging you straight into the ‘Mouth Of Hell.’
This has that smooth, laid back kinda vibe with the pervasive creepiness that really makes your hairs stand on end. The punked up drumming drives this album along at a steady pace, while the blackened nuances keep things interesting. The pained vocals and blues-afflicted twang of the guitars on tracks like ‘Shadows Never Change’ are perhaps a reminder of the long standing relationship the Devil and blues music. Anyway, this is a most enjoyable release, and if you have a fondness for any of Danzigs projects then its well worth a listen.
http://www.devilswhorehouse.com
http://www.myspace.com/truedevils
