Zombie returns to music with 'Deluxe' gore

OK, OK. I know Halloween was four months ago (or eight months from now), and it's nearing Valentine's Day, when a lot of people think about love songs.

Yet horror-schlock metal-man Rob Zombie has just released his new CD, "Hellbilly Deluxe 2."

While the CD is the actual follow-up to his 2007 "Zombie Live" album, conceptually it is the follow-up to his definitive 1998 solo debut, "Hellbilly Deluxe."

With song titles such as "Sick Bubblegum," "Werewolf, Baby!" and "Mars Needs Women," there can be no mistake — Zombie has returned to the same B-movie inspired ground that bred the original "HD."

However, there tends to be a little more musical blood and gore. Which means the songs on "HD2" have a more immediate sound that spits in listeners' faces.

Sure the songs feature the trademark sound-byte samples, and in some cases, a dose of extracurricular strings, but when it's all sang and done, the arrangements rely on the musical knacks of the band — guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Make no mistake, however, there are sonic enhancements, but the album doesn't sound as "produced" as the first "HD."

In fact, the sound is more akin to the acoustic-experiental approach Zombie took with some of the tracks from his last studio CD, "Educated Horses," which is my least favorite Rob Zombie release.

Being a drummer myself, one of the things I liked about the new CD is the featured drum solo during the last track, "The Man Who Laughs." Clufetos shows why he's the perfect heir to John Tempesta's drum throne.

While the first "Hellbilly Deluxe" contained the catchy metal rants of "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl," the songs on "HD2" aren't as radio-friendly.

That, however, is a good thing.

I'm just happy that Zombie has returned to music after directing the remakes of "Halloween" and "Halloween 2."

Still, for the record, I did like his movies "House of 1,000 Corpses" and the sequel "The Devil's Rejects." And I'm kind of keen on the animated superhero flick "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto."

But to me, Zombie is a musician and will always be.

e-mail: scott@desnews.com