White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)^{Release ID: 1687}

White Zombie was known as one of the first ever groove metal bands alongside Pantera, as fully demonstrated in La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One, though they hadn't yet reached the mainstream. They finally got their commercial success with their killer final album Astro-Creep 2000! But to say this album is groove metal is bullsh*t, or at least my ears think so. This is more like industrial metal/hard rock. Sure it has some heavy riff groove, but I wouldn't count on groove metal being a primary genre here...

I can very well enjoy most parts of this album to the f***ing death. I'm an open-minded metal listeners, unlike those close-minded purists out there. I'm a fan of industrial metal, but not much of Rob Zombie's material. Still this album is something I like, more than Hellbilly Deluxe. Whether this is more rock or more metal, it's still great.

"Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)" starts the album with awesome rock/metal riffing. There's intense speed, though not in faster metal levels, giving the track mighty power. This album and Fear Factory are great examples of industrial metal getting you higher than stoner metal listeners, without ever having to use drugs. "Super-Charger Heaven" is a greater thrash-rock highlight. The drums have wicked kicks! The only downside is Zombie's vocals not sounding as aggressive or deep as they should. Still it's one of the best songs here! However, "Real Solution #9" isn't really something I like here. There are hip-hop-ish drums like some proto-nu metal sh*t, and too much reliance of movie samples. "Creature of the Wheel" is a slow crazy headbanger, with more audio samples. Killer vocal aggression here, though not much off there either.

"Electric Head, Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)" is more groove-laden, and having more of a disco-like beat. Hold up... DISCO THRASH METAL!?!? Who knew that was a thing!? Cool catchiness, though I prefer "Part 1". Next up, "Grease Paint and Monkey Brains" is probably one of the least popular songs amongst the earlier metalheads. Being the young modern metal listener I am, I like it. There's more of a Static-X vibe here which isn't too bad. One of the most metal songs in the album! "I, Zombie" returns to the earlier speed. Nothing special, but a much better fight song than Rachel Platten's excuse of one.

"More Human Than Human" is one of the best tracks to mix catchy and heavy in a way that I love. This is one of those songs that I can't let my metal-hating mother hear. I can't believe I did not hear anything from this band until when I included this song in one of the Sphere playlists. A good track for Halloween, if you imagine the moaning in the intro as ghost noises. "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama" is a song I can have an awesome blast with. One of the best songs to love here! After a heavy headbanging, the speed slows down, while still having its greatness. "Blur the Technicolor" is another fun track. The vocals help out the catchiness in this simple groove tune. I like it, but it's a little behind the highlights. "Blood, Milk and Sky" is one of the most haunting and hypnotizing tracks I've ever heard, and I'm talking strongly mesmerizing. I love it! Then after 3 minutes of silence comes the hidden track, "Where the Sidewalk Ends, the Bug Parade Begins". A peaceful yet heavy swansong for this band!

Despite a few downers, and sounding more rock than metal in some places, I dig this White Zombie album. There's still some great aggression as the album progresses in improvement, but even a few heavy parts don't work out too greatly. Still it's the best way for the band to make their exit, before Rob Zombie's solo Hellbilly sh*t.....

Favorites: "Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)", "Super-Charger Heaven", "Grease Paint and Monkey Brains", "More Human Than Human", "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama", "Blood, Milk and Sky"