British singer/songwriter David Gray first came to prominence in the UK and Ireland with the release of his debut album, A CENTURY ENDS, in 1993. A critical success, the album climbed to #23 on the Irish charts and earned him plenty of press and good reviews. His next two albums – FLESH (1994) and SELL, SELL, SELL (1996) – did similar business and helped to expand his audience even more. When Gray released his fourth album, WHITE LADDER, in November 1998, the album struggled in the charts although it was warmly received by critics and fans. Issued on Gray’s own IHT Records label, the album’s initial release seemed to slow down the momentum that he had been building with his previous three releases. When he began releasing singles from the album in 1999, there was commercial interest, but it was coming slowly. However, things were about to change the following year thanks to the support of American singer/songwriter Dave Matthews. Yes, the Dave Matthews Band guy…

Albums usually run their chart course within a year, but there are exceptions. In May 2000, WHITE LADDER was re-released by Matthews’ new ATO Records label and given a new lease on life. With better distribution, Matthews’ support, and a heavy touring schedule, Gray’s album was a bonafide hit. Bolstered by the hit single “Babylon”, WHITE LADDER climbed to #1 in the UK and Ireland and entered the Top 40 in the US, Norway, and Australia. Over the next two decades, David Gray continued to release a string of albums that were warmly embraced by his growing fanbase and received plenty of press in the process. Alongside a handful of compilations and a live album, Gray has managed to build up a beloved catalog of releases that are still fresh and invigorating. His 2019 release, GOLD IN A BRASS AGE, went Top 40 in Ireland, Scotland, and the UK, which is quite the feat since many of his 1990s and early 2000s contemporaries have disappeared from the upper regions of the charts…

Recorded before the COVID pandemic, David Gray’s 2021 album, SKELLIG, is a beautifully atmospheric album filled with a warm, loving light yet offering just enough shade to make the album sound human… and deeply emotional. Produced by Ben de Vries, the album keenly mixes acoustic guitar-based songs with others that rely predominantly on the piano. Mix in some mood-inducing electronics and some lovely ethereal harmonies and you’ve got an album that is laced with melancholia yet still feels comforting and, maybe more importantly, hopeful. Gray’s voice on SKELLIG is far more tender and reflective than on past releases, but he’s still very much the same man that led the charge on his 11 previous albums.  “Heart and Soul”, the album’s first single, is one of his best tracks, bringing together harmony, melody, and emotion unlike anything you’ve heard this year so far. Thankfully, there’s more songs just as powerful as that on the album. Other highlights include “Can’t Hurt More Than This”, “Laughing Gas”, “Spiral Arms” and the title track. SKELLIG proves that David Gray is still at the peak of his powers.  

Ska music was born, developed, and brought to live in Jamaica in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. Artists such as Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker, The Maytals, The Wailers, Laurel Aitken, and The Skatalites were just a few of the bands that took Ska to the top of the Jamaican charts. By the end of the ‘60s, Ska had evolved into Rocksteady, Dancehall, and, finally, Reggae. In the late 1970s, there was a Ska revival in the UK that is most commonly attributed to the 2-Tone Records label and included bands such as The Specials, The English Beat, Madness, Bad Manners, and The Selecter. Once that movement faded out in the early 1980s, Ska-influenced bands still existed on the outskirts of the music business, patiently awaiting the next wave of Ska’s popularity. That resurgence happened in the late ‘80s and early 1990s when artists such as The Toasters, No Doubt, Bim Skala Bim, Save Ferris, Less Than Jake, Fishbone, Sublime, and Reel Big Fish merged Ska and Punk sensibilities… and sold a lot of records in the process. While most of those bands have long since broken up or changed musical course, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have remained true to their original sound.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1983. The band’s roots were based in the Hardcore Punk scene, but their Ska influences were a strong part of their musical identity. Although arriving too late the board the second Ska movement, the band nevertheless became a popular live act in their region. By the time of their 1989 debut album DEVIL’S NIGHT OUT, the band had become one of the most popular high-profile Ska-Punk bands in the U.S. In fact, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are acknowledged as creators of the Ska-Core subgenre. With sharp suits, a brass section, and an energetic live show, the band’s ‘iconic’ status is well-deserved. While continuing to wow audiences with their performances, they released a series of albums that were embraced by their legions of fans. Their catalog includes the albums MORE NOISE AND OTHER DISTURBANCES (1992), DON’T KNOW HOW TO PARTY (1993), QUESTION THE ANSWERS (1994), LET’S FACE IT (1997), and A JACKKNIFE TO A SWAN (2002). The band split up in 2004 but reunited three years later and jumped right back into live performances and recording sessions.

2021’s WHEN GOD WAS GREAT is The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ 11^th studio album – their first for Hellcat Records – and was co-produced by Tim Armstrong (Rancid). The album captures all the joy, passion, and honesty of their past albums while also adding a fresh spin to the proceedings. WHEN GOD WAS GREAT is an intelligent, sharp, and infectious invitation to have fun. While it doesn’t avoid addressing the COVID pandemic, the album revels in hope and unification. Mixing Ska rhythms, anthemic hooks, and scraggly Punk-influenced guitar riffs, WHEN GOD WAS GREAT is an aural ray of sunshine in a world blanketed in darkness and fear. Highlights include the album opener “Decide”, “I Don’t Believe in Anything”, “Lonely Boy”, “Certain Things”, “It Went Well”, and “M O V E”. Packed with 15 songs, this is an epic album that should have you on your feet and skanking in no time. It will also make you feel that you are part of something big, something grand, and most certainly something mighty!

Like any country, Norway has always had many vital and exciting music scenes throughout the decades. While a majority of the artists have not achieved worldwide success, there have been quite a few that have managed to gain different levels of success outside of their homeland. The most commercially successful Norwegian band thus far is A-Ha, but other artists have earned much-deserved commercial and/or critical success including TNT, Bel Canto, Royksopp, Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, and Kings of Convenience. More recently, Norway is well-known for its plethora of Metal bands including Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir, Burzum, Mayhem, Mortiis, and many others. However, every generation features a new crop of musical voices that resonate with music lovers outside of the Norwegian borders. Most recently, singer/songwriter Marie Ulven has captured the attention of critics and music fans with her musical project girl in red.

Born in Horten, Norway, Marie Ulven first rose to prominence with her girl in red EPs CHAPTER 1 (2018) AND CHAPTER 2 (2019). Her homemade ‘bedroom Pop’ songs focus on queer romance and mental health and have earned her a lot of attention from music critics and lovers as well as from the LGBTQ community. Her social media accounts have a total of 5.4 million subscribers, and she has been named ‘One to Watch’ by The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, and The Sun. The honesty in her music has struck a nerve and, like magic, the music that she created in her bedroom has reached listeners around the world, giving them hope and comfort. Ever since her debut single, “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend”, was posted on Soundcloud in 2016, she has grown from strength to strength, maturing as a singer, songwriter, and artist and as a voice for those who still can’t find the words to express themselves. And now, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, she is releasing the first full length girl in red album, which is bound to be her commercial breakthrough.

if i could make it go quiet is an album that addresses many issues, some of them hidden in the shadows and others that bask in the sunlight. And with titles like “Did You Come?”, “hornlylovesickmess”, and “You Stupid Bitch”, it may not be the album you think you needed, but it is an honest and riveting listen. Filled with subject matter that might make some feel uncomfortable, the hooks will draw you in and you won’t be able to deny the album’s charm. Sometimes haunting (“midnight love” and the closing instrumental “it would feel like this”), the album also includes some edgier Pop and Rock fare including “I’ll Call You Mine”, “Rue”, and the aforementioned “You Stupid Bitch”. Opening track “Seratonin” is a perfect gateway track, moving between several different moods with ease. if i could make it go quiet is an album that demands to be heard and certainly lives up to the hype. It is time for girl in red to go global.

While other ground-breaking bands like Nirvana and Sonic Youth may have temporarily stolen the spotlight from them, Dinosaur Jr. have become one of the most important American Alternative Rock bands of all time. Originally formed in 1984, Dinosaur Jr. was comprised of J Mascis (guitar/vocals), Lou Barlow (bass/vocals), and Murph (drums). Initially known as Dinosaur, the trio released their self-titled debut album in 1985. Due to legal reasons – there was already a band called Dinosaur – the band changed their name to Dinosaur Jr. by the release of their second album YOU’RE LIVING ALL OVER ME, in 1987. The band were embraced by the critics and began to build a substantial fan base by the time of the release of 1988’s BUG. However, due to tensions in the band, bassist Barlow left just before they signed their major label deal with Sire Records. However, this was not the end of the classic Dinosaur Jr. line-up…

J Mascis and Murph continued under the Dinosaur Jr. name, releasing two more albums – GREEN MIND (1991) and WHERE YOU BEEN (1993) – before Murph exited the band, leaving Mascis as the sole original member. Mascis led Dinosaur Jr. for two more albums before laying the band name to rest after 1997’s HAND IT OVER. In the meantime, original bassist Lou Barlow refocused his attention on his side project Sebadoh and released a series of well-received albums. He also issued several solo albums and releases under various other names as well (Sentridoh, Lou Barlow and Friends, etc.). By the early 2000s, J Mascis began to attend Sebadoh shows and, in 2005, the original trio officially reunited. Two years later, they released BEYOND (2007), the first Dinosaur Jr. album in 10 years and the first to feature the original trio in two decades. The trio has continued to release albums since their reformation including FARM (2009), I BET ON SKY (2012), and GIVE A GLIMPS OF WHAT YER NOT (2016).

Five years after their last studio outing, J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph return with 2021’s SWEEP IT INTO SPACE, an album that embraces and expands upon the band’s beloved musical legacy. Stradling the line between perfection and cacophony, Dinosaur Jr. is still filled with the shambolic charm and excitement that fueled their early albums and their more recent releases. While it is their 13^th studio album overall, the band refers to it as the ‘fifth studio album since their rebirth’. Whichever way you want to look at it, this is classic Dinosaur Jr. served up with a side of modern kick-ass! J Mascis still sings with a wounded drawl, sounding both confident and confused but always in charge of his senses. Barlow provides two of the poppiest tracks on the album – “Garden” and “You Wonder” – but J Mascis is no slouch in the hooks department, providing many highlights including “I Ain’t”, “Hide Another Round”, “I Expect It Always”, and “To Be Waiting”. It’s always good to know that when the younger generation is more focused on creating TikTok videos, the old guard knows what we really want – real Rock ‘n’ Roll. Welcome back, Dinosaur Jr.

Founded in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004, Escape the Fate is a Metalcore band that has survived an ever-changing musical landscape and remain top of their game nearly 20 years since their formation. Initially featuring Ronnie Radke (vocals), Bryan Monte Money (guitar), Max Green (bass), and Robert Ortiz (drums), the band eventually added Carson Allen (keyboards) and Omar Espinoza (guitarist). The band began touring and recorded a demo, eventually landing a contract with Epitaph Records. By the time they released their debut album, DYING IS YOUR LATEST FASHION (2006), Allen and Espinoza had left the band and Radke followed suite after the album was released. While the band had achieved some success with their debut album, losing their front man cast a dark shadow over their future. But things were about to change. Enter former Blessthefall vocalist Craig Mabbitt and Escape the Fate’s future began to look brighter.

The band released THIS WAR IS OURS in 2008 and it reached #35 on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart. In 2010, their self-titled third album hit #1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart, #25 on the Billboard 20, and #4 on the Rock Albums chart. By the time their next album, UNGRATEFUL, was released in 2013, Max Green was out of the band and TJ Bell stepped in on bass. The band then added a second guitarist, Michael Money (brother of Monte). Two years later, the album HATE ME featured another line-up change: the Money brothers were gone, replaced by guitarist Kevin ‘Thrasher’ Gruff. TJ Bell moved over to rhythm guitar and he and Gruff handled bass duties in the studio. Escape the Fate then released their next album, I AM HUMAN, in 2018. With the release of the album, the band had maneuvered their way through the ever-changing Hard Rock landscape, always with their eyes on the future.

Escape the Fate’s 2021 album, CHEMICAL WARFARE, finds the band sounding fresh, energetic and unafraid to move backwards, forwards, and sideways at the same time. Behind the crunching guitar chords, you’re going to find electronic rhythms, some keyboards, and plenty of soaring melodies. More like an album of emotional anthems, CHEMICAL WARFARE is not a Pop album, but the melodic sing-along hooks are there. And guest performers are there, too – Lindsey Sterling appears on “Invincible” and Travis Barker is featured on “Not My Problem”. Most of the tracks on CHEMICAL WARFARE are fist-pumping, head-banging rockers, but Escape the Fate toss in a few curve balls including the danceable beats on “Unbreakable”, the haunting musical passages that appear from time to time (especially on “Erase You”) and subtle Hip-Hop influences spread throughout the album. The album’s title and cover reflect the paranoia that we experience today, but the music on the album offers an ‘escape’ (… ahem…) from grim realities we face when the music stops playing…

Award-winning Blues guitarist Chris Cain grew up on the Blues. His father used to entertain Chris by telling him tales about growing up on Memphis’ historic Beale Street and constantly played the Blues in the Cain household. Attending his first B.B. King concert at the age of 3, Chris’ future was cemented in stone cold blues. Teaching himself to pay the guitar at the age of 8, he continually honed his craft and was already a professional musician by the time he turned 18. While he earned street cred by playing live, he studied music at San Jose City College, delving into Jazz music and eventually learning to play saxophone, clarinet, piano, and bass guitar. Cain combined his Blues roots and Jazz training and created his own unique sound.

With his distinct guitar style, Chris Cain soon rose to the top ranks of the Blues scene. He released his debut album, LATE NIGHT CITY BLUES, in 1987 on Rock It Records. The album won him four Blues Music Awards and caught the attention of Blues label Bling Pic records. His next three albums – CUTTIN’ LOOSE (1990), CAN’T BUY A BREAK (1992), and SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY (1995) – were released on the label before re-signing to the Rock It Records label. He continued to release a series of acclaimed albums including UNSCHEDULED FLIGHT (1997), LIVE AT THE REP (1998), CHRISTMAS CAIN (1999), CAIN DOES KING (2001), HALL OF SHAME (2003), SO MANY MILES (2010), KING OF THE BLUES (2015), and CHRIS CAIN (2017). Cain then signed to legendary Blues label Alligator Records and began putting together his next album…

Four years since the release of his last studio full-length, Chris Cain releases RAISIN’ CAIN, his most highly-anticipated album yet. The twelve songs on the album are Cain originals that showcase his skills as a songwriter, arranger, bandleader, and guitarist. The songs on RAISIN’ CAIN run the gamut from deep and sweaty bar Blues to joyful, horn-laced blasts of bluesy emotion. Tracks like “Hush Money”, “I Don’t Know Exactly What’s Wrong With My Baby”, “Space Force”, “Can’t Find A Reason”, and “Found A Way To Make Me Say Goodbye” focus in his way of creating music that works its way from the inside out. This is not just a bunch of standard Blues riffs strung together without a thought – this is real Blues born from emotion and feeling. More than 30 years after his debut album, Chris Cain is more connected to the Blues than ever. RAISIN’ CAIN is proof of that.

Even if they may escape the prying eyes and ears of the rest of the world, every major city in the U.S. has a vibrant music scene. And San Diego, California is no different. While some think of San Diego as Los Angeles and Orange County’s precocious little brother (or sister), the talented musicians that have created and built the SD scene over the decades beg to differ. The city – and surrounding areas – has given us Jason Mraz, P.O.D., Rocket from the Crypt, the Album Leaf, Trees, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Iron Butterfly, Pinback, Unwritten Law, the Penetrators, As I Lay Dying, Joey Harris & The Speedsters, and many others. From local popularity to national (and international) fame, San Diego has been the birthplace of so many great artists. Thankfully, the city still has an exciting musical scene that will continue to keep growing.

The San Diego-based Punk Rock and New Wave scenes of the late 1970s and early 1980s was a particularly fertile time for bands and musicians. However, the city also had a thriving Rockabilly/Roots Rock scene as well. One of the most popular bands from this scene was The Beat Farmers. Founded by drummer/vocalist Country Dick Montana (real name: Daniel McLain) and guitarist/vocalist Jerry Raney, the duo recruited guitarist/vocalist Buddy Blue (real name: Bernard Seigal) and bassist Rolle Love and The Beat Farmers was born. While each of the members had come from different local Punk, New Wave, and Rock bands, the sound that they created in The Beat Farmers was roots-influenced Rock ‘n’ Roll, a genre that would later be called Americana or Y’Alternative. The band quickly built a sizable following, recorded their live set as a ‘demo’ and landed a recording contract with Rhino Records. Their 1985 debut album TALES OF THE NEW WEST was an enormously successful album for the then-independent label and the band. With four songs being played on four different radio formats, The Beat Farmers’ debut set the stage for a successful career for this talented band. They signed to Curb Records for a series of albums, losing Buddy Blue along the way but gaining the equally talented Joey Harris in the process. The Beat Farmers came to an end in 1995 when Country Dick Montana died while playing a live show in Canada. The band’s memory lives on in Raney’s current band The Farmers (aka The Farmers SD).

The Beat Farmers’ influential debut album TALES OF THE NEW WEST has been out of print for years, but the Blixa Sounds label has rectified that situation by reissuing the album as a deluxe two CD edition. The original 12 track album is joined by the live album LIVE AT THE SPRING VALLEY INN, 1983, the very recording that helped the band land their deal with Rhino Records nearly four decades ago. The original album is filled with absolute classics like “Bigger Stones”, “Lost Weekend”, “California Kid”, “Goldmine”, and covers of the Velvet Underground’s “There She Goes Again” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Reason to Believe”. The album remains a timeless audio snapshot and most certainly paved the way for new generations of Americana rockers. The bonus live CD contains a live set by the band performing some songs that would end up on TALES… plus tracks that they would not record elsewhere. The lo-fi sound quality cannot hide the energy, sweat, and joy in the band’s performance and the bonus CD works as a perfect companion to TALES OF THE NEW WEST. If you missed this album the first time around, now’s the perfect time to meet the Beat Farmers!

Here in the United States, Detroit, Michigan-born Suzi Quatro is best remembered for her stint as Leather Tuscadero on the television sitcom Happy Days and the 1978 hit single “Stumblin’ In” (a duet with Chris Norman, lead vocalist for British band Smokie). However, Quatro is much more than just a blip on the pop culture roadmap – she is one of the most influential female artists in Rock ‘n’ Roll history. From her days as a member of one of the first all-girl Garage Rock bands – The Pleasure Seekers – in 1964 to her series of successful UK hit singles during the Glam era of the early-to-mid-1970s, Quatro’s influence is immeasurable. Joan Jett, The Runaways, Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads), Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), and Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go’s) all cite her as a huge influence. Through talent and perseverance, Suzi Quatro not only carved out a nice career for herself, she also opened the gates for thousands – if not millions – of female musicians to walk through. And it all started 56 years ago…

Suzi Quatro’s career began in Detroit, Michigan in 1964 when she joined her sister Patti’s Garage Rock band The Pleasure Seekers. Suzi moved to England in 1971 and began working with producer Mickie Most, who helped her craft a series of Glam Rock hit singles that shook the UK charts: “Can the Can”, “48 Crash”, “Devil Gate Drive”, “The Wild One”, and “If You Can’t Give Me Love”.  While her singles and albums didn’t gain a lot of attention in the U.S., her appearances as bass-playing rocker Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days raised her profile in the States and the single “Stumblin’ In” and albums such asIF YOU KNEW SUZI (1978) and SUZI… AND OTHER FOUR LETTER WORDS (1979) were hits. New Wave and Punk came along and, buy the early 1980s, dominated the charts. Although her original audience remained loyal to her, it took quite a while for Quatro (and her contemporaries) to regain commercial momentum. These days, her influence is readily acknowledged by many artists that arrived in her wake and the words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ are often used to describe her musical career. And thank goodness, she’s still out there rocking…

Suzi Quatro’s 2021 release THE DEVIL IN ME is her first studio album in two years and reveals an artist that is well-aware of what her audience wants and needs – and she delivers on all fronts. This is not a watered-down version of Suzi Quatro – this is an album by a veteran artist who still has a lot of Rock ‘n’ Roll vim and vigor running through her veins. With a batch of Blues-based rockers, hard rock riffs, catchy hooks, and a few ballads tossed into the mix for good measure. THE DEVIL IN ME is classic Quatro but still sounds fresh and exciting. Many artists who have been in the business for over five decades operate on cruise control, but Quatro sounds like she’s had a tune-up and is revving her engines and ready to race again. Tracks like “Hey Queenie”, “Get Outta Jail”, “I Sold My Soul Today”, “Motor City Riders”, and the title track are some of the rockin’ highlights. Even when slows down the pace on “My Heart and Soul”, “Love’s Gone Bad”, and “In The Dark”, or adds a funky groove to “Do Ya Dance”, she still retains that Quatro magic. Don’t call this a comeback album, call it a ‘Come to your senses, I’ve been here all along’ album.   

Formed in 1993 in Vacaville, California, Papa Roach climbed to fame during the early ‘90s Nu-Metal movement. Even though the band was tougher and edgier than some of their contemporaries, they still got swept up in the scene. However, they managed to break away and prove that they were more than just another band riding Korn and Limp Bizkit’s coattails. Founded by vocalist Jacoby Shaddix and guitarist Jerry Horton along with Will James (bass), Dave Buckner (drums) and short-lived trombone (!) player Ben Luther, the band released their debut album, OLD FRIEND FROM YOUNG YEARS, in 1997. By this time, Tobin Esperance had taken over on bass. The band’s fanbase began to grow, attracting interest from major record labels. The future, as they say, was looking bright for Papa Roach…

Signing with the DreamWorks label, the band released INFEST, their major label debut, in 2000. The album proved to be a massive success and climbed to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Albums chart. Their subsequent albums for DreamWorks/Geffen/DGC were all landed in the Top 20: LOVEHATETRAGEDY (#2/2002), GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER (#17/2004), THE PARMOUR SESSIONS (#16/2006) and METAMORPHOSIS (#8/2009). Still riding high on the charts, the band left the comfort of their label deal, issuing …TO BE LOVED THE BEST OF PAPA ROACH as their parting shot. Resurfacing in 2012 with THE CONNECTION, their first release for Eleven Seven/Better Noise, the band were louder and more powerful than ever.  That album was followed by F.E.A.R. (2015), CROOKED TEETH (2017) and WHO DO YOU TRUST? (2019). Over 25 years since their formation, Papa Roach show no signs of slowing down.

To celebrate the band’s first decade with Better Noise, Papa Roach have released GREATEST HITS, VOL. 2: THE BETTER NOISE YEARS, a 21-track compilation of songs pulled from their albums released between 2010 and 2019 including two previously unreleased acoustic tracks (recorded in NYC at YouTube Studios) and three unreleased remixes. Also included is “Broken As Me”, featuring Asking Alexandria’s Danny Warsnop. The first single from the album, “The Ending” (remastered 2020) is featured in the 2021 horror/thriller THE RETALIATORS, a film that features Shaddix making his motion picture acting debut. GREATEST HITS, VOL. 2: THE BETTER NOISE YEARS also features remastered versions of “Gravity” (featuring Maria Brink), “Kick in the Teeth”, “American Dreams”, “Elevate”, “Burn”, and more. While this collection may close this chapter of the band’s career, they still have many more chapters to write…

In 1985, nobody would have ever thought that the leader of the newly-formed noise rock band White Zombie would end up having a hand in the changing of the music and filmmaking landscapes in the coming years. But here we are, 36 years later and nearly everyone knows who Rob Zombie is. Whether you love or hate his music and films doesn’t matter – Rob Zombie has become an innovative and influential artist regardless. His vision gathers together pop culture’s darkest slices of kitsch and presents them in new and unique ways. In Rob Zombie’s world, the clean-cut hero doesn’t always exist and if he/she does, then that person doesn’t necessarily wear a cape. In the music and movies he creates, he takes our darkest fears and skewers them with a hot fireplace poker while riding on the back of a large pig and yelling, “Yee-Haw!” And believe it or not, we need that kind of artist to stir things up a little.

From noise rock to genre-blending Heavy Metal, Rob Zombie was the loose cannon that steered White Zombie from one end of the Rock universe to the other, bridging the gap between crunchy Metal and brain-thumping industrial rock. He also added horror and humor, allowing White Zombie to appeal to a wide array of fans. From 1985 until their dissolution in 1998, there was no band like them. When they split up, they were at the top of their game, yet Rob Zombie chose to chart a different course. He released a series of well-received hit solo album and starting a career as a film director with 2003’s HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES. That film spawned two sequels and gave him enough clout to put his own spin on the HALLOWEEN franchise, which resulted in two films. In total, Rob Zombie has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide and has written and directed eight feature films with a worldwide gross totaling more than $150 million. And the music and movie worlds have changed since his arrival on this planet. Thankfully, he isn’t done yet…

THE LUNAR INJECTION KOOL AID ECLIPSE CONSPIRACY is his 2021 release, the first Rob Zombie solo studio album in five years. Everything you love about his music can be found on this album. From brain-beating guitars to EMD beats, this is a Rob Zombie with one foot in the past, one foot in the present and both hands grabbing bits and bobs from the future. From the heavy rock of “The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition” to the Country Blues stomp of “18^th Century Cannibals, Excitable Morlocks, and a One-Way Ticket on the Ghost Train”, there are plenty of musical detours on this album. And you can’t beat song titles like “Shake Your Ass-Smoke Your Grass”, “Shadow of the Cemetery Man”, “The Satanic Rites of Blacula”, and the two previous songs mentioned. This is everything you want and more from Rob Zombie. It also serves as a perfect gateway for new fans into his back catalog. It is powerful, spooky, fun (egad!), dark, and riveting. Like I said, everything you want from a Rob Zombie…