It’s been 28 years since Rob Zombie released his breakthrough solo album Hellbilly Deluxe. A mish mash of industrial chugging, Creature Feature cheesiness, and Zombie’s undying love for everything b-horror. And I bet if “Dragula” comes on the radio you’re bound to crank it up and sing along, at least for the chorus.
Of course Zombie established himself as “shock rock” royalty with his first band White Zombie in the early 90s, the refrain “More Human Than Human” rattling around in our skulls for the rest of eternity. Starting out in the late 80s with two landmark noise rock records, then with Astro-Creep : 2000 bringing a more industrial/groove metal sound that would define the band from that point on.
But for the last nearly 30 years Rob Zombie has been known as a solo artist and a filmmaker. His movies have as many fans as naysayers, establishing himself as a maker of cult classics and high grade trash. And his music has never faltered. Some albums are better than others, but that’s just the nature of the beast.
With Zombie’s newest album, The Great Satan, the metal riffs are ripping and the drums are are chugging like some hellbound freight train. And Zombie’s heavily-processed vocals sound like a carnival barker from Hell. So in other words, this is classic Rob Zombie.
We waste no time getting into the muck and mire with “FTW 84”, and blast of big riff metal giving us advice like “**** The World!” It’s the kind of sentiment we’ve grown to expect from Rob Zombie. “Tarantula” keeps those speed metal vibes going, sounding like the opening salvo to one of Zombie’s own movies. “(I’m a)Rock “N” Roller” slows down a bit to a wicked groove.
The Great Satan keeps things moving with a steady flow of loud, aggressive aggro metal, never relenting for a moment of quiet reprieve. From the caveman strut of “Black Rat Coffin” and “Sir Lord Acid Wolfman” to slow groove of “Devilman” to the fist-pumping “Out of Sight”, there’s barely a moment to catch your breath.
Rob Zombie continues to keep up on his dark arts, and The Great Satan proves to be one of Zombie’s best albums in years.
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