Danzig II: Lucifuge is the second studio album by the heavy metal band Danzig. It was released in June 26, 1990 on Def American Recordings and was reissued in the US and UK in 1998 by Def American’s successor, American Recordings. Lucifuge was recorded at three studios in Hollywood: Hollywood Sound Recorders, Larrabee Sound Studios and Summa Music Group over an eleven-month period, between June 1989 and May 1990; up to this point, it was the longest time Danzig had taken to make an album.
Lucifuge has a pronounced blues influence that adds a sinister edge akin to records by Howlin’ Wolf or Robert Johnson, who have both been accused of playing the “Devil’s music“. Thematically, a number of songs throughout the album ask questions about the concept of evil.
Glenn Danzig said that the song Killer Wolf is “my version of an old blues song about a guy who wolfs around the door of every girl in town.”
Glenn Danzig has described I’m the One as “another blues song…about a guy realizing his destiny.” I’m the One was originally recorded for Danzig‘s debut album.
The introduction to Long Way Back from Hell begins with the use of the dive bomb guitar technique. 777 is a song about the biblical concept of Armageddon and includes the use of slide guitar.
Blood and Tears is a Roy Orbison-like ballad about “a girl’s failed relationship and her subsequent torment”, and is one of Glenn Danzig‘s personal favorites from the album.
The lyrics to Snakes of Christ tell of Glenn Danzig‘s view that the teachings of Christ have been perverted by religious groups. Glenn Danzig has mentioned in interviews the very noticeable similarity between the main riff from Snakes of Christ and that of the later Stone Temple Pilots song Sex Type Thing.
The remaining songs feature subjects including love, sex and religious themes. Prior to the album release, Glenn Danzig noted how the band had improved in the interim between the debut recording and the recording of Lucifuge: “Everybody’s much more comfortable with each other now. We’ve toured with each other, hung with each other. The rhythm section is much tighter. It’s just a much better band, and that comes through on the album.”
Tracklist:
- Long Way Back from Hell
- Snakes of Christ
- Killer Wolf
- Tired of Being Alive
- I’m the One
- Her Black Wings
- Devil’s Plaything
- 777
- Blood and Tears
- Girl
- Pain in the World
Credits
Glenn Danzig: vocals, keyboards
Eerie Von: bass
John Christ: guitars
Chuck Biscuits: drums
Production
Producer: Rick Rubin
Engineers: Dave Bianco, Sylvia Massy, Brendon O’Brien, Martin Schmelze, Jim Scott
Mastering: George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York City
