Rough Edge: Scum of the Earth CD Reviews

SCUM OF THE EARTH

"Blah ... Blah ... Blah ... Love Songs for the New Millennium" (Eclipse; 2004)

If you're like me, a huge Rob Zombie fan, then you know that we don't get nearly enough new Rob Zombie music out there. Scum of the Earth, featuring ex-Zombie guitarist Riggs, doesn't sound exactly like Rob Zombie, but it's close enough and stylish enough to fill the time while Rob finishes directing his next movie.

While "Blah Blah Blah" does sound a bit like White Zombie and Rob Zombie's solo material, it's also got a slightly darker spin. While Zombie's stuff is usually lighter monster movie stuff, "Blah Blah Blah" is intense and serious. The violent and insane lyrics to "Murder Song" prove that on their own, but read the words for the bizarre Queen "tribute" here, "Pornstar Champion," and you'll see how dark and damning Scum of the Earth can be. "Pornstar Champion" could have just been another novelty song, with the classic Queen song ("We are the Champions") amped up and riddled with raunchy lyrics. Instead, it's a surprising damnation of what the porn industry does to women.

Interestingly, although most of the album is the churning wall of rock that Zombie made famous, some tracks are closer to Alice Cooper's most sinister stuff, including "Little Spider" and "Give Up Your Ghost." The inclusion of these eerie, haunting tunes makes "Blah Blah Blah" an even deeper listening experience.

I'd find it hard to believe that a fan of any Zombie era wouldn't enjoy "Blah Blah Blah" as well. Here's to hoping the band's successful enough to pump out music more frequently than Rob Zombie himself. It'd be nice to have a regular dose of this kind of horror rock rather than waiting years and years between releases.

By the way, the packages is aces here, too, featuring glorious horror-style artwork and fonts.

Scum of the Earth: Riggs - vocals, guitars; Mike Tempesta - guitars; Seven - drums; Clay - bass.

For more information, check out http://www.scumoftheearth.com.

"Blah ... Blah ... Blah ... Love Songs for the New Millennium" (Eclipse; 2004)

Reviewed by Snidermann

I first listened to Scum Of The Earth's "Blah Blah Blah" with no prior knowledge of what I was about to witness. What I got was a mind blowing "White Zombie" type experience.

So I research the band and find out that there are two members of White Zombie (Riggs and John Tempestra) plus there is also a member of Powerman 5000 (Mike Tempestra) and John Dolmayan from System of a Down. Just from that kind of a line up you know you're in for something special

With a band name like Scum Of The Earth, you might think, "What the hell kind of shit is this?". However, after spinning the disc, I found not only a quality recording, I found something quite unique to heavy metal music today. "Blah Blah Blah" is a recording with an energy that is vibrant and alive and loaded with great, strange images.

"Blah ... Blah .... Blah.. Love Songs for the New Millennium" is more Zombie-like music and you can never have too much of that.

For more information, check out http://www.scumoftheearth.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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