In 1998 White Zombie was riding high after the success of Astro-Creep 2000. When frontman and main creative force Rob Zombie picked that moment to go solo, he surprised a lot of people, not least of all his own bandmates. But go solo he did with Hellbilly Deluxe, an album that went three times platinum and from that point on White Zombie was no more.
There wasn't a bad song on the album, and anthems like "Dragula", "Superbeast," and "Living Dead Girl" have become modern metal classics. Now, twelve years and four albums into his solo career, six if you count a live, Zombie Live, and greatest hits album, Past, Present & Future, both of which usually signal an artist running out of ideas, Zombie went back to the studio and gave us a successor to his debut, Hellbilly Deluxe 2. A shame then that it not only fails to live up to its famous predecessor, but to Zombie's other solo efforts as well.
The album starter "Jesus Frankenstein" feels dreary and repetitious, suffering from the same issues that plagued the opening tracks on his previous album, Educated Horses. After what seems like an eternity of hearing "All hail Jesus Frankenstein" you pine for an undead Pontius Pilate to nail him up and be done with it. No one expects Zombie to be a wordsmith, read the lyric sheet to any of his albums and you could laugh yourself into a coma, but shouting "Rock, motherfucker!" into your ear 78 times is a bit much even for him and all but sinks "Sick Bubblegum". Some great guitar work by John 5 buoys things towards the end but by then it's too little too late. The next song, "What?" has the album's best riff and explores the "ghoulish beach party" sound Zombie began experimenting with on "The Scorpion Sleeps", from Educated Horses. It's the most fun you'll have on the album and ends all too quickly.
Article comments
1 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"In interviews Zombie has said that this album won't be his last musical effort but will be his last CDas he feels discs have been made obsolete by digital downloads"
Honestly, he cemented that ideology when he departed from White Zombie. IMO, his form of Aerobic Rock was never Metal and never worthy of the "album" format. Hell, even "La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1" got freaking boring after the first three tracks and the only memorable song was "Thunder Kiss '65". I think you accurately pinpointed the adolescent mindset in his music and I wouldn't expect anything more but I will be happy in not having to hear anymore of his crap.
2 - Largely the Truth
Hellbilly Deluxe & Sinister Urge hold up as albums but the next two are better off being picked over in iTunes, absolutely. I have to agree about La Sexorcisto too, other than "Thunderkiss '65" and "I Am Legend" I never understood the appeal. If Zombie ever decided to mature as an artist I'd throw all my dollars at the album, download, or whatever it was, but if at 45 he's still working through his adolescence I'm left wondering how far off that day is.
3 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Yea.. I hear what you're saying, I guess I never was a fan of that techno fused style to begin with. So, it' not just Rob Zombie that I dislike but Powerman 5000, Static X and all the other bounce bands (as I like to call'em)that you can bounce right into the dump.
4 - Largely the Truth
There should be some kind of support group for people who've been subjected to Static X. The first time I heard Machine I thought my CD player was broken. Then I wished it was.
5 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
LMAO... I believe Jenny Craig uses this music to torture people if they fall off the bandwagon,though, the food is just as bad so it's a loose / loose situation