Rob Zombie // Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor
'Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor' sounds like some random, tripped-out 1960's vinyl.
'Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor' sounds like some random, tripped-out 1960's vinyl. Looks a lot like it too. The self-styled 'hellbilly' frontman appears on the cover surrounded by swirling psychedelia looking like a cross between Frank Zappa and a cult leader. But this is, after all, Rob Zombie, a man who seems permanently caught in a horrific B-movie of his own making (even when he's not making movies). And he does it so well too.
With his usual focus on monsters, freaks and the people that made them that way, Zombie offers twelve tracks in his signature style - with a Sixties twist. The classic organ sound played by so many groups of that era is used to great effect, adding a new dimension to Zombie's usual brand of industrial trash-rock creepiness.
The beat that made songs like 'Dragula' an instant hit is also present in tracks like 'White Trash Freaks'. 'Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga' (it'll make sense when you hear it) is a perfect driving chant-a-long song and his obsession with satanic samples shows no signs of abating as they feature in almost every track. The cover of Grand Funk's 'We're An American Band' works almost too perfectly in the Zombie's hands and 'Lucifer Rising' is sure to get the dancefloor stomping.
Although Rob Zombie's themes have been much the same throughout his albums, 'Venomous...' is not just a rehash of old ideas. From the CD inlay, with it's grainy retro photos and and scrawled lyrics, to the addition of new instruments and subtle style changes he continues to make music fans want to listen to. While some songs are written for the sheer hell of it - 'Rock And Roll (In A Black Hole)' - others are making a statement that goes beyond the makeup and fake blood - 'Trade In Your Guns For A Coffin' is a perfect example. He is also one of the few people that can pull off 'catchy' and 'disturbing' at the same time. An album to listen to while driving a pick-up truck, with a body bag and shovel in the back.
8/10 Lenore
