Spring Break
17 Year Locust
Chris Essig/staff reporter
Issue date: 4/28/06 Section: The Verge
3 out of 5 stars
It's not like he hasn't been building a resume.
Since 2001, Rob Zombie has directed "House of 1000 Corpses" and its sequel "The Devil's Rejects," written a comic anthology set in the continuity of HOTC, and a released greatest hit album.
Hell, he's even gotten married.
The only thing he hasn't dipped his fingers into is what financially put him in the position to expand his artistic range: music.
Well he's back now and with such a large layoff and a newly formed band featuring Tommy Clifetos on drums and John 5 (Marilyn Manson) on lead guitar, it's not a matter of if he changed, but how much.
"American Witch" and "Foxy Foxy" sound like Zombie is walking in quick sand.
The songs don't necessarily drag, but are performed at a considerably slower pace.
"17 Year Locust," with its lead sitar, is Zombie reaching a near halt while the album really doesn't pick up its pace until "Let It All Bleed Out."
And even that spark is short lived.
Zombie's usual snarl is even toned down considerably.
You can rock out to it, but it's just more of a progressive head bang.
And it's not like it was totally unexpected.
Zombie's been evolving ever since he started directing movies and "Educated Horses" is the anthem of his new persona.
It may have different characteristics, but at the heart it is still Zombie.
His true connection with the past is through his lyrical content, which still sounds like it came from the soundtrack of a b-side horror movie.
"Educated Horses" still has its place in the twisted carnival of Zombie's discography. Only instead of a roller coaster, this time around it's more of a Ferris wheel.
It's not like he hasn't been building a resume.
Since 2001, Rob Zombie has directed "House of 1000 Corpses" and its sequel "The Devil's Rejects," written a comic anthology set in the continuity of HOTC, and a released greatest hit album.
Hell, he's even gotten married.
The only thing he hasn't dipped his fingers into is what financially put him in the position to expand his artistic range: music.
Well he's back now and with such a large layoff and a newly formed band featuring Tommy Clifetos on drums and John 5 (Marilyn Manson) on lead guitar, it's not a matter of if he changed, but how much.
"American Witch" and "Foxy Foxy" sound like Zombie is walking in quick sand.
The songs don't necessarily drag, but are performed at a considerably slower pace.
"17 Year Locust," with its lead sitar, is Zombie reaching a near halt while the album really doesn't pick up its pace until "Let It All Bleed Out."
And even that spark is short lived.
Zombie's usual snarl is even toned down considerably.
You can rock out to it, but it's just more of a progressive head bang.
And it's not like it was totally unexpected.
Zombie's been evolving ever since he started directing movies and "Educated Horses" is the anthem of his new persona.
It may have different characteristics, but at the heart it is still Zombie.
His true connection with the past is through his lyrical content, which still sounds like it came from the soundtrack of a b-side horror movie.
"Educated Horses" still has its place in the twisted carnival of Zombie's discography. Only instead of a roller coaster, this time around it's more of a Ferris wheel.
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