Four Heavy Metal Bands That Made An Impression In The 1990s

Rage Against The Machine... A classic heavy metal band that through there music helped influence fans of the 90s!

When I was younger I came to realize something that I found to be rather interesting, that being the fact that it seemed like every decade women's fashions seemed to change, and what was popular in fashion at that time, (something that everyone woman was fighting to get for themselves,) would go in the next decade to being in the pile that went in the garbage or even going so far as to become the most embarrassing piece of filth that the mere thought of looking at it in the next decade was something intolerable...

Well growing up in a house that was primarily women, I was curious about why this was, so I asked my sister about this, and she could never really give me a solid answer, and well as time went on, I have begun to notice that this seems to be a trend with a lot of things...

A great example of this being music! In the 80s an extremely popular style of music was stuff like: 'Synthpop', in the 90s it was, 'Heavy Metal', in the first decade of the new millennium it seemed to be, 'Rap/Hip Hop'... And with the 90s becoming more and more of a distant memory, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the Heavy Metal Bands that really made an impression on the 1990s!

And so at number 4: Rage Against The Machine.

Rage Against The Machine was definitely a band that left a lasting impression in the 90s!

Rage Against The Machine... Man if you grew up when they were still together, then you were lucky! What I mean by this, is that there type of music was not just intense, and fun, but the music that they played... Well you could say that this band essentially helped to define music in the 90s... And for some people when they talk about music in the 90s still mention, 'Rage' when talking about it!

At number 3: Metallica.

Metallica during their 1996 Cunning Stunts tour!

Now Metallica... Metallica started out in the 80s, but the truth is, is things really started to change in the 90s for this group, and being a fan, and having talked to to other fans (not those that are only in it for Metallica's music. type of fans,) a lot of them have mentioned Metallica as being at their height in the 90s!

At number 2: Nirvana.

Nirvana practically invented the, 'Grunge scene' back in the early 90s!

Nirvana... Sadly, with the death of Kurt Cobain, Nirvana disbanded, but let's be honest here guys, when you think of the 90s and when, 'grunge' was still popular, Nirvana has to be the group that comes to mind!

At number 1: White Zombie.

White Zombie... A classic Heavy Metal Band of the 90s!

Before Rob Zombie went solo, and before he started his film career he was part of a truly awesome horrific metal band, 'White Zombie', and for the type of music that they played... Well they definitely left a lasting impression in the 90s that has carried on through Rob Zombie's work in his solo career!

Five Songs From The 80s & 90s That Helped Define Five GreatHorror/Sci-fi Movies

One of the things I have noticed in the new millennium which I have wondered about, is that there seems (definitely in modern horror movies, and to a strong extent with Science Fiction movies,) a noticeable absences of mainstream bands making music that one could say defines the movies in music terms!

What do I mean for this? Well of course there is always composed music, like the composed music that John Williams (Jaws) has done for a lot of the biggest Science Fiction films of all time, in this case what I mean is, music such as what Rob Zombie (Halloween) has done for his movies... And Rob Zombie has done a great with this!

In the case of Rob Zombie, he has always done some truly kick ass songs for (I can't say all, because I haven't seen all of them,) but almost all of his movies! So as a little reminder of what bands did for Horror & Science Fiction, I thought that you guys would enjoy:  Five Songs From The 80s & 90s That Helped Define Five Great Horror/Sci-fi Movies!

For number 5: The Cure: Burn (1994) from: The Crow soundtrack:

For number 4: Gerard McMann: Cry Little Sister (1987) from: The Lost Boys soundtrack:

For number 3: Rage Against The Machine: Wake Up (1999) from: The Matrix soundtrack:

For number 2: White Zombie: The One (1996) from the soundtrack for: Escape From L.A.:

For number 1: Guns 'N Roses: Sympathy For The Devil (1994): from the soundtrack for: Interview With The Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles:

There are a lot more out there, but I would say that these are some of the better ones, and I hope that these remind you of some of the awesomeness that was soundtracks for horror and science fiction in the 1980s and 1990s

White Zombie: Astro-Creep 2000: An Album I Will Never Forget

White Zombie, a 90s powerhouse!

That's right folks, before I got in to listening to heavy metal or most of the stuff that I mostly listen to these days, I used to listen to a lot of easy listening music as well as soundtracks...

Soundtracks because of the different types of music, from different types of bands that are coming together to make an amazing compilation for a great movie, and well as for the easy listening stuff... I will be honest and say that I still like it... Not in the same way or level that I once did, but I do like it, I mean you really can't go wrong, when you are writing and listening to some smooth jazz... Those lyrics flowed out real nicely, and so did the words when I was listening to it!

But by the time I got to boarding school (essentially my last year of High School), I was already headed toward becoming a full fledged heavy metal fan, and when I got to the boarding school I was to stay at, ultimately I ended becoming just that!

That's right folks, White Zombie helped cement me as a headbanging metal head for life!

You see, when I got there, I really did not have much to say or do, (I left home mostly with the clothes on my back and a couple of suitcases that didn't have anything for me to do with my off hours...)

Well when Christmas rolled by and I ended up not making it home for the holidays, my mom sent me out my gifts, and 3 of those gifts  happened to be a portable CD player, with 2 CDs, 'White Zombie's Astro-Creep 2000' and another one (I hate to say it, but I can't remember the title!)

Well those two albums eventually kind of became my life when I was there, and had free time... They had some books, and some games, and they let people watch movies on Friday nights... But in all honesty, sitting out back on a bench behind the Kitchen, and watching stars (trust me when I say this folks, but seeing real stars, was a truly trippy experience... One that I will never forget...)

Is there anything better then being out and about and putting in your Astro-Creep 2000 CD... I know this woman is digging it! 

Regardless though, if it hadn't have been for the fact that I had those 2 CDs and the CD player, I don't think I would have made it... Trust me when I say that living out in the middle of nowhere may sound good on paper, but unless you have something to keep you occupied, then it just isn't!)

In the end, I will never forget that experience, and in all honesty, If it wasn't for listening to, 'Astro-Creep 2000', I don't think I would have become the metal head I am today!

White Zombie: Electric Head Pt. 1 (1995) - Song Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

When I was a kid I have to admit that I really wasn't the metal head that I am now, I mean I used to avidly... (Sometimes still do, but not often,) listen to a lot of classical music, Elton John and the like, it wasn't until I became friends with a metal head that I started listening to it, and you know what? I have to say that I have found that I really liked it!

A lot of people say that it is because of the headbanging, others say that it is because it is not a very upbeat music and being a goth, it is right up your alley... (That one I heard when I was a goth...)

The truth is, is I have found that I really like it because the beats are intense and lively, and it can either make you really happy to listen to them, or it could make you intensely depressed... And White Zombie's, 'Electric Head Pt. 1' from White Zombie's, 'Astro-Creep 2000' (1995) is just one of those songs!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Electric Head Pt. 1 rocked then and it still does now![/caption]

 

You see, Rob Zombie (as well as White Zombie's music) may not be the most upbeat, but this song has a strong energy that I  really enjoyed, I also loved the instrumentals of: J., Sean Yseault & John Tempesta... In the end, this song, along with the amazing work that Rob Zombie did on this song, not only cemented me as a fan of White Zombie, but a life long fan of Rob's, and if you get a chance to check out this song... Try it, you might like it... I did!

http://youtu.be/2Rk3YEC6Wr4

Monsters Of Metal: Rob Zombie

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="498"] Rob Zombie... A true, 'Monster Of Metal'![/caption]

Most people these days I am sure probably recognize Rob Zombie for his amazing contribution to the horror movie, genre but for me you are going to have to go back to the late 90s, when Rob Zombie (Halloween) was still a member of the classic heavy metal band, 'White Zombie'...

But even before this, this power house Musician/Filmmaker/Writer of essentially the, 'horror genre' and it's equivalents became the man he would become, in some respects almost as a young man we would see the hell hound he would become... You see Rob Zombie (who was born, 'Robert Bartleh Cummings') was born to parents who worked in the Circus when Rob Zombie and his brother, 'Michael'... (Also known as, 'lead singer of Powerman 5000', 'Spider One',) were young Rob Zombie seemed to have developed an interest in the macabre with his favorite movie genre being, 'Horror'... (I would say that with his parent's work in the Circus and his being a fan of Horror movies, I suspect this was the inspiration for, 'Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) from, House Of 1,000 Corpses (2003)!)

After his parents left the Circus and after Zombie graduated from High School, Zombie met ex-girl friend and former bassist/co-founder of, 'White Zombie', 'Sean Yseault' and would eventually move in with her.

During this time in the 1980s, Yseault and Zombie would go on to co-found the band that would later be known as, 'White Zombie'... Well believe it or not success didn't initially come easy to this soon to be legendary, 'Monster Of Metal'... You see during the early days of Zombie's and Yseault's collaboration together, the band would release 3 EP albums which really kind of failed to gain the notoriety during that time...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Sean Yseault (Center) and Rob Zombie (Right) with the rest of their band mates that would eventually comprise, 'White Zombie'.[/caption]

It wasn't until their 4th studio album, 'Gods Of Thunder' when things started to get interesting for the fledgling group... You see Michael Alago (A rep for, 'Geffen Records', the label that would eventually be the label that Zombie and his crew would sign up with,) listened to this album and ended up showing enough interest in the band to ask that they make a demo, (which they did with the help of J.G. Thirlwell, who produced the demo for the group), and would eventually be signed on to Geffen!

And White Zombie would be born!

During their time together, White Zombie would go on to release 4 studio albums, including: Soul-Crusher (in 1987), Make Them Die Slowly (In 1989), La Sexocristo: Devil Music, Vol 1 (In 1992) & Astro-Creep 2000: Songs Of Love, Destruction And Other Synthetic Delusions Of The Electric Head (In 1995). They would also produce 1 remix album 6 EPs, 3 compilation albums, several singles and work that the group did on such classic movies as, The Crow (1994) & even, Escape From L.A. (1996) to name a few!

But like all good things, Rob Zombie and Sean Yseaut broke up, and in 1998 the band would disband as well... But that wouldn't stop this true Monster Of Metal!

No you see, Rob Zombie would go on to almost catapult himself further then he could have ever gone working with, 'White Zombie'...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Rob Zombie, live in concert during his solo career![/caption]

What I mean is that Rob Zombie picked up his career not long after the band disbanded and on August 25th, 1998 Rob Zombie would release his first solo album called, 'Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales OF Cadaverous Cavorting Inside The Spookshow International', which ended up being so successful that it had actually outshined previous sales of older, 'White Zombie' work!

During this first decade of his solo career, he would go on to release what some could say are his most famous (or at the very least, 'most recognized') songs of all time! Including such hits as: 'Living Dead Girl', 'Dragula', and, 'Superbeast' to name a few!

Well folks besides the monumental success as a solo artist, he would also make his first attempts in to the movie industry... You see, if you remember, near the beginning of this article, I had mention that as a child Rob Zombie was a huge fan of horror films... Well he would first try to put his love of of films in to use when he was to direct the movie, The Crow 2037...

Well unfortunately despite the fact that he had even written that script, the movie was never released... But this wouldn't stop Rob, who after the failure of his first attempt, would start working on the script that would eventually be for the movie, House Of 1,000 Corpses (2003)... And well after all was said and done, the movie would not see the light of day for about 3 years, until it was release in 2003!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Rob Zombie with Dr. Satan himself, 'Walter Phelan' on the set of, 'House Of 1,000 Corpses' (2003)![/caption]

And thus another chapter in the amazing career of this man would be born!

In 2002 Rob Zombie would go on to marry B Movie Scream Queen, and one of the cast from, House Of 1,000 Corpses (2003), Sheri Moon (Halloween)... Later Sheri Moon Zombie!

Anyway, rather this true master of horror is putting together the latest kick ass album in his truly epic career  as a musician, or the next horror classic, this guy's career is truly legendary and one that would definitely cement him as a true, Monster Of Metal!

http://youtu.be/E0E0ynyIUsg

http://youtu.be/EqQuihD0hoI

http://youtu.be/fTabuTNAZMQ

White Zombie: More Human Than Human (1995) - Song Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

Back in the early to mid 1990s I noticed on TV and in movies that there was a sudden trend of ex-NFL Football greats making their way in to the world of acting on both TV and movies, a couple of great examples of this of course being, Dan Marino who was in, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Terry Bradshaw... This guy was in a couple of things that I have seen, but I would have to say this his most notable performances for me was the work he did on such TV series as, Married With Children (1987 - 1997) and Everybody Loves Raymond (1996 - 2005)...

But the most notable and the reason why I mention this is that in the late 1990s I first heard part of the song, 'More Human Than Human' by, 'White Zombie' (Rob Zombie's band before he went solo) in a trailer for the movie, Firestorm (1998) starring: Howie Long (3000 Miles To Graceland)... And this was my entrance in to the life of a White Zombie fan forever... But I didn't know that at the time!

You see I didn't end up getting, 'Astrocreep 2000', (the album that this song came from) until I was at boarding school about a year later!



Well needless to say that I loved it... But it does take a little while to get used to if you aren't used to the style in which this song was crafted...

What I mean by this is that Rob Zombie's guttural kind of half way between Death Core Metal and regular metal is not something that is easy to get used (I have to admit that even though I am a fan of White Zombie's work, I am definitely more of a fan of Rob Zombie's solo career.)

Now don't get me wrong this music is still quite good, but in my opinion, where as this song was good, and I still think that the lyrics along with the instrumentals, as well as the woman moaning was a very fun choice, I hate to say it, but this type of song only appeals to a select type of audience...  But if you are a fan of this type of music, (which I will be honest and say that it took me a little while to fully appreciate it,) then I think you might find that you really enjoy it!

Here is the music video (sans woman moaning):

http://youtu.be/E0E0ynyIUsg