I will be right upfront with this, Glenn Danzig scares me. I mean it, this guy is seriously strange. I saw him in concert a few years ago, and he puts on a great show, he has a great voice, granted he doesn't have the range he had, it is still a unique voice on the goth-metal front. But when you watch him, he will creep you out, the way he stares, the way he moves, gives me the willies.
This is the second DVD release for Danzig, following 2003's Archive De La Morte. Il Demonio Nera follows the same format, delivering a few videos from from a certain period, this one being the Danzig 4-5 era. This disk gives us 6 songs and 13 videos, with some of them previously unreleased.
Here is the track listing for the disk:
Until You Call On The Dark (MTV Version)
Until You Call On The Dark (GD Performance)
Until You Call On The Dark (Band Performance)
Can't Speak (Clean Version)
Can't Speak (Filter Pass Version Directed by Fred Stuhr)
I Don't Mind The Pain (MTV Version)
I Don't Mind The Pain (GD Performance)
I Don't Mind The Pain (Band Performance Directed by Dean Karr)
Sadistikal (B/W only Unreleased)
Sadistikal (B/W & Color Unreleased Directed by Glenn Danzig)
Sacrifice (Directors Cut - Letterbox Directed by Glenn Danzig)
Serpentia (Unreleased Reg. Version)
The only one I had seen prior to this disk was "Can't Speak," and that was an episode of Beavis & Butthead. MTV has never been too kind to Glenn and his work. Fortunately he has released these disks to give us an insight into his visual domain.
The first videos, for "Until You Call on the Dark," are primarily performance pieces. The second version is a single camera take focusing on Glenn's performance. He performs the video in this S&M outfit, hiding his face behind a mask, but moving unmistakably as Glenn. Watching him move around the stage while the band played and slave master women cracked their whips and the crowd clamored on the far side of a net separating them from the stage, was kind of weird. Like a metal show at a Renaissance Fair.
This sets up the rest of the disk. It is a blend of completed videos and alternate versions of said videos. Each one getting progressively more bizarre.
"Can't Speak" is probably the closest thing to a typical video as you're going to get. Featuring some special effects and a primary band performance. It is good, but I am not sure what it is supposed to mean.
"Sadistikal" seemed to be the most unlikely to have had a video made for it. It isn't even really a straight up song, so much as it is a gothic-industrial soundscape. Enter at your own risk.
As much as I have enjoyed this and it's predecessor, I can't help but think that we should be getting more. There have to be more filmed videos, right? How about some interviews? Or concert footage? Or perhaps commentary from Glenn on the videos?
A collection of videos with multiple cuts will only get you so far. I value the fact that Glenn took the time to select these from his archive just for this disk, and including the unreleased versions, but please give us a little more content. You would probably be pleasantly surprised at much the fans would appreciate it.
The disk is presented in full frame format, which I can only assume is the original ratio. The audio is in Dolby Digital stereo. Both do there job while not being particularly special.
Bottomline. This is an interesting collection of videos, and I am happy for it. The problem is that you will be left wanting more. This will also not bring in any new fans.
Recommended for Fans Only.
Also at Blogcritics.
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