Danzig

Danzig Sings Elvis CLEOPATRA

Satanic metal crooner pays sincere homage to The King.

There is a refreshing lack of ironic cabaret kitsch in Glenn Danzig’s tribute album to The King Of Rock. After all, the 64-year-old punkmetal veteran has been covering Presley standards since his late70s Misfits days, his boomy baritone voice blurring the line between impersonation and approximation. To his credit, on this lovingly curated collection

Danzig mostly avoids the obvious greatest hits, favouring instead reverb-heavy lo-fi treatments that faithfully reference the originals without shooting for all-out mimicry.

Stand-out choices include a gothic piano ballad take on Young And Beautiful, a starkly sombre Lonely Boy Blue and a spectral, funereal Always On My Mind. That said, Danzig’s croaky crooning inevitably lacks Presley’s lusty libidinous power, and too many arrangements feel anaemic and lethargic. Fever has a thin, demo-ish feel, Girl Of My Best Friend shuffles and sobs when it should swagger and weep. A rare case of the satanic horror-metal overlord erring on the side of tasteful understatement. ■■■■■■■■■■