Rob Zombie – “Spookshow International Live” [Album Review]

If you know either your metal or your horror movies then the name Rob Zombie will be a name that you should be familiar with. Frontman for the ’90s industrial metal freakshow that was White Zombie and also the man behind such colourfully gruesome cinematic delights as The Devil’s Rejects, Rob Zombie is one of the most visually striking characters around so, minus all the cartoon shock-rock shenanigans that you associate with Zombie, I have to admit I half-heartedly hit the task of reviewing this audio package.

However, before Spookshow International Live was barely five minutes old I’d come to the conclusion that, aside from all the visuals that accompany Zombie, the man has an entire repertoire of really banging tunes. I could list them all but that’s done at the end of this review, so for now I’ll just highlight “Superbeast,” “More Human Than Human,” “Sick Bubblegum,” “Thunderkiss ’65” and “Dragula” as just five classic moments from a lengthy musical career both fronting White Zombie and as a solo artist in his own rights.

These five absolutely banging tunes are guaranteed crowd pleasers on the live front and a staple of any credible rock DJ’s set list anywhere in the world. Elsewhere on Spookshow International Live, Zombie sets about treating his audience to a real rock show and, even though you can’t visualize it, you just know that everything about this set, even the drum solo and the cover of Ramones classic “Blitzkreig Bop”, is just a full-on, ninety minute shock rock cartoon visual delight.

The problem generally with live albums is that they are usually such a hit and miss affair, especially when the artist in question is such a visual mastermind. Spookshow International Live, minus the visual side, is rescued thanks to both the incredible set list and the fact that Zombie is such a showman. On this evidence, Bloodstock 2015 punters, you are in for a real treat when you get the full package in August.

Track Listing:

01. Teenage Nosferatu Pussy
02. Superbeast
03. Living Dead Girl
04. Dead City Radio
05. Drum Solo
06. More Human Than Human
07. Sick Bubblegum
08. House of 1000 Corpses
09. Meet the Creeper
10. Never Gonna Stop
11. Blitzkrieg Bop
12. Thunderkiss 65′
13. Jesus Frankenstein
14. Were an American Band
15. Dragula
16. Demonoid Phenomenon
17. Pussy Liqour
18. Demon Speeding
19. Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga

Run Time: 79:46
Release Date: February 23, 2015

Check out the video for “Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga” here.