Danzig

Singer Glenn Danzig had been a favorite in the underground punk scene since the '70s, with a pair of influential outfits, the Misfits and Samhain. Big-time fans of Danzig's work were the members of Metallica, who constantly sported shirts of Danzig's bands past and present, sparking widespread interest for his 1988 major label debut, simply titled DANZIG. Rounding out the band was Samhain bassist Eerie Von, ex-Black Flag/Circle Jerks drummer Chuck Biscuits, and newcomer John Christ on guitar. While the music and subject matter of the Misfits and Samhain relied on comic book horror and cacophony, DANZIG showed that Glenn had brought in elements of blues rock, plodding Black Sabbath-esque metal, and Jim Morrison-like vocals, while the lyrics seemed to rely on two themes: women and religion. Written entirely by Glenn Danzig, the album is considered to be his finest by many longtime fans--such classics as "Twist of Cain," "Not of this World," "She Rides," and "Am I Demon" were all included. But the best-known track remains the original studio version of "Mother," which would turn out to be Danzig's commercial breakthrough a few years later when included on the 1993 live mini-album THRALL: DEMONSWEATLIVE.