Blackacidevil - Reception and Controversy

Reception and Controversy

Blackacidevil was widely criticized for its apparent shift in musical direction and was not well received by most critics. Glenn Danzig discussed Blackacidevil's reception: “That album worked exactly the way I wanted it to, basically, it shook a lot of stuff up. People either loved it or hated it, and we got a lot of new fans from its release. Hey, maybe some of the people who only liked "Mother" dropped out, and I've always said those fans are okay, when you get this big MTV exposure, but they're not permanent fans. The core following you have is your most important thing.”

Besides the changes in musical direction, Blackacidevil's original release caused more controversy: Danzig's violent music and use of Satanic imagery conflicted with the corporate image projected by Disney, the parent company of Danzig's new record label, Hollywood Records. Tower Records' Pulse! magazine created a mock radio advertisement and a cartoon drawing spoofing this odd relationship. The cartoon featured Glenn Danzig shaking hands with Disney CEO Michael Eisner at the entrance to "Danzigland" (instead of Disneyland) with the two surrounded by skulls, a child wearing a "666" T-shirt and a horned and fanged Mickey Mouse. As a result of the controversy, the label pulled support for the album and the record deal was severed. Blackacidevil was the only Danzig release on the Hollywood Records label.