For metalheads who thought bands like W.A.S.P. and Mötley Crüe just weren’t menacing or heavy enough, White Zombie was the perfect antidote for a period of time during the mid- to late ’90s, fusing B-horror movie visuals and subject matter with heavy music and growled vocals. White Zombie’s story begins with the larger-than-life singer, Rob Zombie, who almost entirely shaped the group. Rob, then known as Rob Cummings, initiated the White Zombie journey after moving from Haverhill, Massachusetts to New York City in the early ’80s.
Drawing inspiration from theatrical metallists like Kiss and Alice Cooper, as well as punk outfits like the Ramones, Rob Zombie initially worked in the entertainment industry before forming White Zombie with bassist Sean Yseult in 1985. The band, named after a Bela Lugosi flick, started as a New York Underground band before transitioning to a heavy metal sound. White Zombie’s shift towards a heavier sound was strengthened by the addition of guitarist J., and the incorporation of industrial rock elements, making them a unique entity in the hard rock scene of the era.
Geffen Records recognized the potential of White Zombie and released their major-label debut, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 in 1992. The album gained momentum with hits like ‘Thunder Kiss ’65,’ propelling the band to mainstream success. Following this, their album Astro-Creep: 2000 — Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head, became their highest-charting album, reaching number six on the U.S. Billboard charts. However, internal dynamics within White Zombie led to Rob Zombie eventually pursuing a solo career after the band’s breakup in the late ’90s. Rob Zombie’s solo ventures and creative pursuits like music albums and directing horror films have solidified his place in the horror-rock genre, while White Zombie’s early years were commemorated with a box set by Numero Group in 2016.