Live on the Black Hand Side
This double-disc dose of Danzig delves into the dark past of these dramatic metal miners, with 28 live performances stretching from 1992 to 2000. A portion of the set features the classic lineup of guitarist John Christ, bassist Eerie Von, and drummer Chuck Biscuits on such august cuts such as "Dirty Black Summer," "How the Gods Kill," and "Left Hand Black," all recorded, appropriately, at a 1992 Halloween gig. Singer Glenn Danzig's aggro, dark passion matches his band's surprisingly raw and punky sound, though Danzig'sJim Morrisoninflections on the portentous likes of "Pain in the World" and "Little Whip" are palpable. Disc two consists of material recorded in 2000 with guitarist Todd Youth, bassist Howie Pyro, and drummer Joey Castillo aboard for versions of "Twist of Cain," "She Rides," and the band's biggest hit, "Mother." On the downside, the sound quality is somewhat shoddy and unbalanced, especially on the second disc.--Katherine Turman