Zombie Live [Explicit Lyrics, Live]

As a unique personality and musical force to be reckoned with for almost twenty years now, it was only a matter of time before Rob Zombie's outlandish and outrageous live show was captured and released on CD (or DVD?). Afterall, aside from Trent Reznor, Rob has possibly the largest selection of non-album releases to choose from in the rock genre. So, honestly, who didn't see this one coming? "Zombie Live" is a fully comprehensive live set recorded during the 2006 "Educated Horses" Tour that spans both his solo career and his past days in White Zombie.

As far as the track listing goes, it couldn't possibly be more jam-packed with hits and classics than it already is. Although more White Zombie material would have been much appreciated -- as it is, we are only treated to five songs from that era -- the fact that we got any at all is a treat. The instantly recognizable, iconic tunes like "Dragula" and "More Human Than Human" sit amongst some more obscure but solid songs like "Dead Girl Superstar," "Creature Of The Wheel," and "Demon Speeding." For the most part, Rob's backing band -- which consists of the legendary John 5 on guitar, Piggy D on bass and Tommy Clufetos on drums -- performs the songs with ease, with the lone exception of "Living Dead Girl" which stutters and stumbles, trying to capture what made the original great. You would think with such a great player as John 5 on hand that the original compositions would be open for some retooling and tinkering, but unfortunately, the band pretty much sticks to format here.

The album is, overall, a pleasant listen for any fan that plays almost like a "Greatest Hits" of sorts. The sound quality is superb, and surely it's worth picking up for the Zombie enthusiast. But it's main downfall is that it does not include the previously promised DVD. A Live DVD would surely be more interesting, especially with all the effort Rob Zombie puts into his live show, and the fact that the DVD portion was left off is a bit vexing. But, the record label promises it will surface in the Spring, and this CD is pretty cheap in most places, so it's kinda hard to knock it.

.....a few weeks ago, this was supposed to be a cd-dvd with a great art-book. As it turns out, no art-book (that I can go without) and, even worse, no dvd (that annoyed me quite a bit). That's right : no live footage, no animated videos. It seems that the live dvd will be released around spring 2008. In other words : we'll have to wait four or six more months before it comes out. So, yes, this live album is awsome, it rocks hard and Rob Zombie is still a genius. But it's not the audio/visual fest I was waiting for. However, I must insist on one point : this live album is f**king great. And sorry about my bad english : I'm from europe and doing my best.

If anyone has had a chance to see Rob Zombie in concert knows how great he is live. With that being said, fans who have not seen him in person might not fully appreciate this cd. Listening to this cd, you do lose a lot of the studio effects which makes his music great. But don't let this turn you away from experiencing Zombie live. This cd will be mainly for hardcore Zombie fans.