Rob Zombie – The Great Satan Review

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I am pretty aware I will disappoint a lot of fans with this review, but I decidedly cannot help it. C’est la vie as the French say. I admit I have never been a great fan of White Zombie nor Rob Zombie. In general, with some honorable exceptions Kiss, for instance, I give shoulders to bands whose image is more important than the music. Besides being one of the top notch bands of the so-called New Metal does not help them either, from where I am standing, so that be clear. So, the burning question is why I am writing a review of Rob Zombie’s newest album “The Great Satan.” Beats me! I suppose it may be due a little bit of masochism. Or, being totally honest, after ten years in this vital industry, this kind of music does not bother me anymore. However, I confess the album has its moments with tracks as “Out Of Sight” or the stunning “The Black Scorpion.” But I have no patience for tracks with so much embarked technology as “Sir Lord Acid Wolfman.” Too artificial for me. There are, somehow, surprises as The Beatles inspired “Unclean Animals” whose mood addresses directly to the psychedelic “I Am the Walrus.“

As I aforementioned, I am not a big fan of Rob Zombie and his band White Zombie. Of course, as top notch artists who have been on the media – MTV, for instance – all the time, I may have stumbled upon their music here and there. I mean, I have a memory of what his music is. Being really fair, album first kick “F.T.W. 84” triggers this memory. Being really fair again, I cannot say it is a bad song. I have heard worse here and I have heard better, but it is a fine song. “Tarantula” does exactly the same, even though the feeling of a modern Alice Cooper and his terror iconography and the image that is heavier than the music – Well, I do like Alice Cooper. Side by side with the surprises is the guitars of “(I’m a) Rock “N” Roller“ whose electronic effects plus the big guitars amazed me honoring the title. I have to say the guitar riffs of “Heathen Days“ pleased me a lot in a album where the guitars are, let’s say, economic class. But the riffs are inspired.

Bottomline, “The Great Satan” is an album with ups and downs. There are tracks I liked a lot, on the other hand, there are tracks I cannot bear even though I am kind of getting used to this kind of sonancy. Though, I confess I would not buy “The Great Satan” for any reason, but if someone decided to please me giving it as a present I would not throw it away.

Rob Zombie “The Great Satan” will be released on February 27th via Nuclear Blast Records.

Track Listing:

  1. F.T.W. 84
  2. Tarantula
  3. (I’m a) Rock “N” Roller
  4. Heathen Days
  5. Who Am I?
  6. Black Rat Coffin
  7. Sir Lord Acid Wolfman
  8. Punks And Demons
  9. The Devilman
  10. Out Of Sight
  11. Revolution Motherfuckers
  12. Welcome To The Electric Age
  13. The Black Scorpion
  14. Unclean Animals
  15. Grave Discontent

Watch “(I’m a) Rock “N” Roller” official music video here: