DANZIG – Skeletons

The members of Danzig, which, as you all know, is fronted by the infamous and legendary Glenn Danzig (ex-Misfits, ex-Samhain), recently unleashed this 10-track plague upon their fellow men, and it is quite the peculiar and strangely captivating album to listen to. At first I had no idea how to summarize or put into words my thoughts and feelings on what I was hearing, but gradually I started to like this stuff…in a dark, twisted, and perverted way, mind you. Kind of like when you feel guilty about something, but you simply cannot help yourself.

"Skeletons" is a covers album consisting of tunes by Elvis Presley, ZZ Top, Black Sabbath, The Everly Brothers, Aerosmith, and a bunch of others that have been carefully manipulated and bastardized by Danzig. You have to understand that it is somewhat strange to listen to a Danzig-infested version of "With A Girl Like You" or "Crying in the Rain", but I do not mean that in any derogatory sense. It is merely a different experience compared to the original versions as well as the Danzig albums of old. Then again, even those first few Danzig albums were bluesy and very much inspired by old rock ‘n’ roll, so those elements have always been present in Danzig.

"Skeletons" has a pretty lo-fi sound and production, which will undoubtedly turn a lot of people off, but for me it works and adds atmosphere to the whole thing. Also, the album is nowhere near as dynamic and vibrant as some of the old classic outputs by Danzig, and Glenn’s voice is shot in a few places, but regardless, I find the album entertaining to listen to. The best covers are definitely those of "Let Yourself Go", "N.I.B.", and "Lord of the Thighs".

In summing up, "Skeletons" is charming and cool, but I strongly suggest that you approach it with an open mind. Glenn and the rest of the band ought to be applauded for having done something totally different with these songs as opposed to merely covering and playing them note-for-note.