On Tuesday night we got an e-mail from reader Taylor Carik, letting us know that he and a friend had gone to see Danzig at the Cabooze in Minneapolis earlier in the evening — only for Danzig to cancel the show at the last minute, “saying he didn’t like the venue.” Apparently the other bands on the tour played anyway, though — Taylor also told us that “Moduk was alright, too, for corpse paint.” And I know I should have immediately done some research to see if Danzig had, indeed, cancelled a gig because he didn’t like a venue, but I didn’t. I was far too interested in finding out who Moduk were. Corpse paint that can actually play music? That’s amazing! It takes the musicians who usually wear the corpse paint right out of the equation! IT COULD BE A REVOLUTION IN BLACK METAL!!! No longer would corpse paint be beholden to some asshole to make its art.

But while I was busy trying to track down this magical corpse paint, we got another e-mail, from a reader calling himself “Why Hate Abigail Williams?” (to which I can only reply, “Because they blow goats and like it?”), pointing us towards this report regarding the Danzig cancellation in question:

Click to read more…

Why am I writing this week’s “Worst Week” entirely in questions? Could it be to irritate you? Or am I just trying to keep myself amused at the end of the week?

Did you know we asked some other questions this week?

• Was Sergeant D. kidding when he said that there are only two good songs in Reign in Blood?
• Why did Dimmu Borgir change their album art post-release?
• What’s the big deal about Volbeat?
• Is Glenn Danzig actually perfectly reasonable?
• Is there anything better than a Devin Townsend show?
• Can Ozzy restore your sanity?

And have you asked yourself these questions as well?

• Did you know that we debuted new music by The Ocean, Dukatalon, and Gozu?
• Did you read Anso’s chat with Dave Wyndorf from Monster Magnet?
• Is Oderus’ advice column worse than Vinnie Paul’s? Do you agree with Doc Coyle’s assessments on the issue of European metal versus American metal? Do you find, as Eyal Levi does, that creative prison is for pussies? Is Greg Weeks imagining it, or does it smell like poop and onions right now?
• Did you buy the new album from Dallas Coyle’s Genetic? You know the money goes to cancer research, right?

Are you worried that I’ll still be doing this on Monday? Do you think I care?

-AR

You may remember that exactly one month ago, the above photo of Glenn Danzig shopping for kitty litter surfaced, and the internet wet its collective pants laughing. I didn’t really see the humor in the situation, though, and I still don’t. The dude owns a cat. That cat needs to shit. Danzig isn’t a member of Metallica; it’s not likely he has a horde of minions to run out and do his bidding all the time. And even if he does, we know for a fact that sometimes the Metallicats enjoy behaving like regular people, too, so it’s entirely feasible that Danzig gave his assistant or whatever the day off and just went to the store himself.

So. Glenn Danzig goes shopping for pet supplies. Hahahaha. Whatever.

But I’m clearly in the minority. So now Buzzgrinder has asked Danzig about the photo, and to his credit, Danzig’s response is perfectly reasonable:

Click to read more…

Our friends at Metal Insider and Metal Injection both posted the below photo today. In case you’re blind and your computer is, like, reading this to you or something, it’s a picture of Glenn Danzig in a grocery store parking lot, having just purchased, amongst other items, some kitty litter.

And I guess the picture is pretty funny, not least of all because Danzig is either wearing one of his own band shirts, or a shirt that looks one of his band shirts; I’ve seen Doro Pesch out in public rocking her own gear, too, and I don’t really understand the need to call attention to yourself like that, but maybe that’s why I’m an anonymous blogger and not a rock star.

But I don’t find a lot of humor in the simple fact that Glenn Danzig goes shopping. Between getting laid out by that dude from North Side Kings, advising cancer patients not to get chemo, and declaring that The Illuminati secretly run the world, I’d argue that Danzig lost his cool mystery factor a long time ago.

You know what I would find surprising and hilarious? If his cat were any color other than black. Now that would be unexpected.

I’ve written before about my affinity for the music of Melissa Auf der Maur, and I know that some people were all,”Hey, this chick ain’t metal.” To which I say: au contraire. Even if her music isn’t always as heavy as a really heavy thing, she’s certainly got the metal in her blood n’ spirit. She fronted Hand of Doom, a (totally killer) Black Sabbath tribute band, and her latest solo album, Out of Our Minds, has a duet with Glenn Danzig, fer Chrissakes!

But in case you’re somehow still too metalier than thou to show Ms. Auf der Maur some love, maybe this will change your mind: She recently hit up the Heavy MTL festival in her hometown of Montreal, and filed a four-part video report from said festival. I’m skipping right to part three below, not because the first two parts aren’t great (Cute Canadian girls with funny accents! WHOO-HOO!), but because I find this interview with Mastodon’s Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor to be really, really entertaining.

Check out the other three video reports here. Melissa Auf der Maur’s latest, Out of our Minds, is out now. And after the jump, in an effort to get you all on board with the program, I’ve posted some more Auf der Maurian goodness…

Click to read more…

Holy shit, is it seriously August already? It’s gonna start getting cold soon. Motherfucker. Here’s what we did this week when we should have been enjoying the sunshine and fresh air:

• We’re streaming Dementia/Dyslexia, the Metal Blade debut of Fleshwrought,  a new project from Animosity/Animals as Leaders’ Navene Koperweis and Job for a Cowboy’s Jonny Davy.
• We debuted an EPK for Iron Thrones’ The Wretched Sun.
• We also debuted “Fear, Emptiness, Decibel,” a new column from the editors of our favorite metal rag.
• We had a little beard on beard action with Andy Williams from Every Time I Die and Liam Wilson from The Dillinger Escape Plan. We also spoke to Avenged Sevenfold’s Johnny Christ, The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Jeff Tuttle and Pathology’s Dave Astor.
• We checked out the latest releases from Chimaira and Decrepit Birth.
• We schooled Korn’s Jonathan Davis on the BP Oil Spill.
• We questioned the sincerity of Max Cavalera’s claim that his collaboration with Fred Durst is all Ross Robinson’s fault.
• We questioned Glenn Danzig’s sanity. Again.
• We got pissy that Eddie’s not on the cover of the new Maiden album.
• We got boners watching 72 minutes of pro-shot Gojira footage.
• We did not get boners looking at Emmure noodz.
• We found the best bass player in the history of forever-ever-ever.

We’ll be hanging out at the Summer Slaughter show this Sunday here in NYC; if you spot us, please bring us presents. We like presents. Thanks.

-AR

In case the cover art for their new album, New Blood, doesn’t make it clear — The Other are a horrorpunk band. Like pretty much all horrorpunk bands, it seems pretty clear that their biggest influence is the Misfits. I mean, just look at their singer, Rod Usher:

Not even subtle, is it? They’ve even got a picture of themselves with Jerry Only on their MySpace page:

Click to read more…

We already knew that Glenn Danzig was nutty, ’cause he used to sing for The Misfits and he doesn’t believe in doctors or medicine. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s a conspiracy theorist, too. From a recent interview with MSN:

What are you reading lately?

Let’s see… something I started getting interested in a long time ago, that’s just an extension of a course on America being founded on Masonic principles and things like that. Back in the ’90s I looked at it and it was a no-no to talk about, but… the whole organization that runs the world, which is multi-country, and people know it as either the Committee of 300 or the Bilderbergs. Some people call it the Illuminati. That’s interesting to me.

The Illuminati? Like, the bad guys from that movie Opie made? Yeah, I’m not that worried about those dudes. Or the Bilderbergs. Or any of those other groups people like to say secretly run things. I mean, my grandfather was a Freemason, and if that guy was running the world, then I’m secretly Joey Belladonna, and I just make fun of myself for free publicity. Oh, wait. Shit. I wasn’t supposed to tell you that. Now I have to kill you.

Anyways, here’s hoping Danzig now covers this:

-AR

Since Axl and I are very patriotic types (couldn’t you tell?) we’ve decide to close the Mansion a bit early this holiday weekend so we can get to the flag-waving festivities as soon as possible.

Kidding! We’re closing early so we can get hiiiiigh and then go see FAITH NO FUCKING MORE! Neither one of us having seen FNM before (although I had a chance to in 1997 and, for some reason, didn’t), we’ve literally been waiting for this moment for most of our lives. We will not be schmoozing with the industry types at a bar in the back, nor will we be politely bobbing our heads on the periphery somewhere… we’ll be right up fucking front, rocking the fuck out as hard as possible (old fashioned push-pit? I hope). To that end, I’m pretty sure we won’t even be drinking tonight; me because I want to remember this night perfectly, and Axl because he doesn’t wanna have to go pee-pee during the show. The man is smart, I tell you.

Here’s what happened this week in the world of metal:

• Van Halen announced plans for a DLR-fronted album in early 2011. Axl is — shockingly — skeptical.
• As part of “Be Nice Day” at the MS Mansion, we said nothing mean about new videos from Hellyeah and Papa Roach.
• We looked at new releases by Bonded by Blood (as part of “Be Nice Day”!), Ceremony and The Ghost Inside, Mastodon, Chambers, and Nattsol.
• We premiered a new track by NJ progressive post-hardcore mind-fuckers East of the Wall.
• We spoke with Warrel Dane of Nevermore and Sanctuary, and Jon Fine about Taco Riffs.
• We sat in on the meeting in which Disturbed brainstormed the artwork for their new album.
• Glenn Danzig is a crappy driver, but Vince Neil is an even crappier one.

Since July 4th falls on a Sunday this year, the gates of the Mansion will be shuttered on Monday, July 5th — like most U.S. businesses — so we can extend the partying by an extra day. See you Tuesday, Suckers.

-VN

From TMZ:

-AR

Thanks to Clint Kaio for this amazing, amazing tip!!!

What’s up everyone! In celebration of the new KINGDOM OF SORROW album coming out today, MetalSucks have been nice enough to let me takeover their site! I figured I’d better make the reading interesting and at least cause some discussion, so here goes, this is probably the longest run on sentence you’ll ever read, haha, enjoy!

Since we’re well into 2010. I figured I’d start my blog with my top ten “most listened to” metal and hardcore albums of the last decade, and the top ten albums I hope to enjoy this decade!!! It’s not a top ten “best of” the decade or anything like that, it’s just what I’ve listened to the most while on the road, at home, in the gym, in the office or in my car. Keep in mind that the criteria for these albums to make this list was that they were released between 2000 and 2010, that is all.

The top 10 records I’m “most hopeful & excited for” are more like a wish list. It will be cool to see some of that stuff happen!

Click to read more…

Yep, we talked a lot of smack on Joey Belladonna this week, much to the chagrin of, well, an awful lot of you. I think we’re done for a little while… but I can’t make any promises. Our job at MetalSucks is to amuse ourselves first and foremost, and, well, we thought it was pretty damned funny. So ppppfffftttt.

Here’s what else went down this week:

• We debuted the title track from Nachtmystium’s new album, Addicts.
• Genetic’s Dallas Coyle called us “influential,” Disfear’s Tomas Lindberg shared some Maryland Deathfest memories, The Austerity Program’s Justin Foley unveiled his top four Taco Riffs, Cynic’s Paul Masvidal got burglarized, As I Lay Dying’s Nick Hipa made some new revelations about L O S T, God Forbid’s Doc Coyle worried about turning into an old geezer, Daath’s Eyal Levi gave us a lesson in stage etiquette, and Batillus’ Geoff Summers gave us a new studio update.
• We spoke to The Melvins’ Buzz Osborne, Periphery’s Misha “Bulb” Mansoor, Testament’s Chuck Billy, and Sick of it All’s Lou Koller.
• We checked out new releases by Korn and Ufomammut and Year of No Light.
• Is Mastodon’s Brent Hinds a Mastodick?
• Sergeant D sez Cunthunt777 are your new favorite band.
• Don’t worry, baby, Dr. Danzig gonna cure what ails you.
• Hot chick loves Nergal, hates the Bible.
• Boy oh boy, do we love the new Limp Bizkit cover art!
• If you’re looking for new band members, don’t do this.

Alright. We’re gonna go get drunk and crank We’ve Come For You All in John Bush’s honor. Have a great weekend, everyone.

-AR

Alright, so I’m not a doctor, and I fully acknowledge that the medical business is just as crooked as pretty much every other business in the world these days (I don’t even like metal, dude – I just couldn’t turn down the multi-million dollar contract the Sheinhardt Wig Company offered me to help run this site), but I do know that telling a cancer patient “Don’t bother with chemo” is probably not the wisest idea in the world. A few years ago my aunt had breast cancer, and I’m reasonably certain that if when the doctor told her “You need chemo” she had replied “You need to suck my muthafuckin’ dick, I’m going to see a nutritionist,” she’d be dead right now. Ditto a whole lotta other cancer patients I’ve known. Again, I’m no doctor. I suppose it’s possible that all they really needed was some zinc n’ shit. But this seems like one of these instances where, y’know, you should probably just shut the fuck up and do what the medical professional tells you.

Then again, I’m not Dr. Danzig, Medicine Goth. Check out this excerpt from a recent interview with Vice:

Click to read more…

In February I expressed cautious excitement for Out of Our Minds, the second solo album from former Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. Now the album is actually out and I have it… and I haven’t had time to listen to it yet. Bummer.

But AOL is now streaming the record, so even if you don’t have an unopened copy resting within arm’s reach of where you’re sitting right now, you can check it out. In fact, check it out and let me know if I need to move it further up on my list of priorities. I did check out “Father’s Grave,” the duet with one Mr. Glenn Danzig, and it’s pretty cool…

Like I said before, Out of Our Minds is out now.

-AR

I don’t really know what the critical consensus was on the self-titled debut solo album from ex-Hole/ex-Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur, but I thought it was catchy as hell. It came out just a few months after Courtney Love’s America’s Sweetheart and certainly blew that album right the fuck out of the water, that’s for sure. If you’ve never heard it, all you really need to know to understand what kind of record it is is that Josh Homme co-wrote and appears on the album alongside James Iha, Jeorde White (a.k.a. “Twiggy Ramirez”), and some other nifty guest musicians. Either those names appeal to you, or they don’t.

ANYWAY, that was almost six years ago already, and I kinda thought maybe Ms. Auf der Maur was done with music or something. But not so! She’s just released a video for “Out of Our Minds,” the title track from her new solo album, which a press release tells me “extends into a 28-minute, HD film starring and conceived by MAdM, as well as a limited edition comic book and matching Picture Disc Vinyl illustrated by Jack Forbes from Brooklyn, NY.” Personally I’m not sure that I care about anything other than the music, but, hey, good for her for being ambitious.

So this isn’t really metal and I’m not as wild about it as I was, say, “Followed the Waves” or “Taste You”* from her last album, but it’s not bad at all:

Out of Our Minds comes out March 30. And it features a duet with Glenn Danzig!

-AR

*If you can find the French language version of “Taste You,” check it out instead of the English version. The song sounds a million times sexier en Francais.

The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato is ripped. But it would never even occur to me to accuse the dude of taking steroids, for the following reasons:

1. He might kick my ass.
2. To make an accusation like that requires something known as “evidence,” and I have none. In fact, I’ve never even heard a rumor about the guy taking ‘roids.
3. He might kick my ass.
4. It seems perfectly feasible to me that Puciato spends the hours and hours of downtime that come with touring working out.
5. He might kick my ass really, really bad.

None of these issues gave pause to James Montgomery, though. I have no idea who Montgomery is, but in what has to be the stupidest act of 2010 so far, he’s written a piece for MTV in which he accuses ten musicians – including Puciato, Trent Reznor, and Glenn Danzig – of taking steroids. “Proof?” Montgomery actually bothers to raise the issue in his intro. “Who needs it when you’ve got pure suspicion?”

As far as I know, Reznor and Danzig haven’t weighed-in (no pun intended) yet about this absolutely moronic article – but Puciato has, and he ain’t happy about. He tells our friends at Noisecreep:

Click to read more…

Remember the video for Danzig’s “Mother?” With the requisite blond metal chick? In case you don’t, here’s the clip:

Ever wonder what became of that lady? Well Lucho at Metal Inquisition did, and he followed-up with some good old fashioned investigative journalism. And as it turns out, that nice blond girl got old, busted, and completely fucking fuck nuts. Check out this video post-card she did for Mr. Danzig:

Click to read more…

Last night a reader known simply as “Tim” e-mailed us to say that Glenn Danzig played drums on Hollywood Undead’s Swan Songs.

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. Was this true? How come no one had said anything ’til now? So I investigated…

Click to read more…

As a part of goth metal OGs Type O Negative, drummer Johnny Kelley’s talents are often overshadowed by the low end sultriness and antics of bassist/frontman/nude model Peter Steele. But his graceful stickwork has been holding the band together since 1995′s October Rust, and the string of Type O albums that have come out since have stood shoulder to shoulder with the band’s prior material. Along with being Danzig’s drummer, Kelly plays in Seventh Void, a stoner/trad metal outfit with Type O Negative guitarist Kenny Hickey. The latter band released their debut on Vinnie Paul’s Big Vin Records in April. In an interview with MetalSucks, Kelly discusses Type O Negative’s future, working with Glenn Danzig, and his thoughts on modern drummers.

Click to read more…

I mean, there’s no way this is actually Glenn Danzig, but good God, whoever is running @DANZIG deserves a major fucking pat on the back for coming up with gems like these:

I’ve never liked the word “spunky”
1:14 PM Apr 4th from web

my patience has worn thinner than my hairline lately.
10:43 PM Mar 23rd from web

No I am not going to be on a VH1 dating show, so stop asking.
1:14 AM Mar 7th from web

heading to the nail salon to get my pinky nail sharpened, brb
8:25 AM Feb 28th from web

standing in a clearing at the edge of the woods shaking a baby in my mouth
12:08 AM Feb 27th from web

Pure. Comic. Gold. Thanks to loooongtime MS Maniac (and Twitter-phobe) hibernum for sending this one in.

-VN