Search - Rob Zombie :: Past, Present & Future [w/ Bonus DVD]

Good compilation. GREAT value.

Bill M. | MA, USA | 10/01/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Greatest Hits" and "Best of" compilations are always made with the casual fan in mind. After all, die-hard fans already own all the artist's albums. When it comes to Rob Zombie, I've always been a casual fan. I've liked what I've heard over the years on the radio, Mtv, and the goth clubs, but not enough to go out and buy his CDs. When I heard about "Past, Present & Future" and what it would come with, I knew that this was the purchase I had to make.First of all, this collection is an INCREDIBLE value. For under $14 you get a 19-track cd, 10 video DVD, and a thick booklet of awesome photos spanning Rob's whole career. There are some praising but dead-on liner notes from Rob's idol and original shock-rocker, Alice Cooper. The tracks include all the album singles I've heard from both White Zombie and Rob Zombie's solo albums, plus his songs from the House of 1000 Corpses soundtrack and the "Hands of Death" duet with Alice Cooper from the X-Files TV soundtrack. It would have been nice to see more non-album tracks, like the cover of "Children of the Grave" from one of the Black Sabbath tribute albums, "I Am Hell" from the Beavis & Butthead Experience, etc. But I realize that no single compilation is going to please everybody.The videos on the DVD are really fun to watch. I think even those who aren't fans of Rob Zombie could still appreciate how well they're made. They're a perfect blend of horror, evil imagery, and just the right amount of subtle and colorful humor. You'll cringe, you'll giggle. Rob has a presence that's strong without coming off as pretentious.I've bought many "Greatest Hits" and "Best of" compilations from bands that I like but am not a die-hard fan of. But out of all of them, the price of this one gives it the greatest value in terms of both physical and musical content."

A classic greatist hits package.

James Baack | Monster Island | 04/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to this album reminds me of flipping through the pages of an old "Famous Monsters of Filmland" magazine. When I hear Rob Zombie, I hear echos of a man enfluenced by Horror Films, Aurora Monster Models, Old "Creepy" and "Eerie" magazines from the 1970's, "The Munsters" and all the old stuff that pop culture threw at kids growing up in the 1960's and 70's. His music contains all those elements mixed up on his palet and comes up with some really interesting and entertaining stuff. The only way I can describe Rob Zombie's music is if you take: Kiss, ZZ-Top, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits and Alice Cooper, throw it in a blender, mix it up and then pour it into a skull shaped mug.

I consider Rob Zombie to be a really fresh and exciting talent that we are going to see alot of quality material come out of in the years to come. He is not only a musician but a film maker, comic-book writer and actually a gifted comic artist.

This album is a definite must for any Heavy Metal "Head Banger" or Horror Film "Geek".

I love the DVD included also. Rob is an outstanding Music Video director and is just bursting with imagination and creativity.

I cant recommend this album enough. Buy it and play it LOUD!"

Monster Rock

Crypt | Arkham | 11/04/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Rob Zombie is probably the best example of the continuing legacy of Screaming Jay Hawkins, Lord Sutch, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, The Cramps, The Misfits, etc... today. These past artists knew that Rock and Horror belonged together. Rob Zombie took influence from them and re-defined Horror Rock his own way. With a Hardcore attitude, Metal riffs, Electro Industrial noise, Samples, Funk grooves, spooky atmosphere, and dance floor beats he created his own peculiar style of Rock. He's one of the very few artists that broke through to the mainstream simply through hard work and just doing what comes naturally. As a Zombie fan since 1992, I still can't understand how his music keeps getting compared to awful garbage like Godsmack, System of a Down, Korn, and rap-metal. Zombie has been around since 1985! Most people don't realize that. White Zombie started out in New York's No-Wave underground scene along with the likes of Lydia Lunch, The Swans, and Sonic Youth. Ever heard of those artists? White Zombie's mix of Punk attitude, and Metal power with Horror imagery got them noticed and signed to a major Label. Zombie was never a product of the music industry. He simply figured out how to appeal to the mainstream as well as the underground, all the while staying true to himself and his art. And to this day there is not one artist that came after Rob that is anything like him. He's his own monster. And no, Rob Zombie is not "Industrial." There is a lot of Industrial influence, but it's Rock & Roll. For pure Industrial music, check out Brighter Death Now, Throbbing Gristle, and Einsturzende Neubauten. Industrial isn't Rock. Most people would argue that it's not even music. Not in a traditional way... but I'm going off on a tangent here. This compilation is a pretty good introduction for those not that familiar with his work. There are some White Zombie tunes, some songs from sountracks and a couple of old school Funk covers. Boogey Man is wonderful, while Brick House would have been much better without the crappy rap section. I personally would have included some more White Zombie tunes, but there probably wouldn't have been enough room on the cd. Plus it's got 30-something pages of cool photos, brief liner notes by Alice Cooper, and a bonus dvd of some White Zombie and Rob Zombie videos. Most of which he directed himself. A great package that's not over-priced. The only problem I see is this: Why didn't they include the video for Electric Head part 2 and Boogieman? Those were two of White Zombie's best videos! Also I didn't care too much for the videos for Superbeast (boring), and Feel so Numb (Way too "typical MTV" for me). Many of the other videos are like short horror films and are fantastic, including wonderful tributes to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Clockwork Orange."