Hellbilly Deluxe (sometimes referred to by its full title Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales Of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside The Spookshow International) is the debut solo album by the former White Zombie singer Rob Zombie, released on August 25, 1998. The album's title is a play on the Dwight Yoakam album Hillbilly Deluxe. Zombie's debut effort met with considerable success, peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and featured songs that would go on to become fan favorites, in particular, "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl."
The album features the heavy guitar/bass and twisted, often violent horror themes of White Zombie, but it also reveals elements unique to Rob Zombie's solo career. For example, songs often feature a more danceable groove and electronic sounds/vocal overdubbing. In October 1999, Rob Zombie released a Hellbilly Deluxe remix album, American Made Music to Strip By.
On September 14, 2009 it was announced that Rob Zombie would embark on the Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour, which is in support of his 2010 album Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool which is stated to be a companion to the original album as per his website.
[edit] Reception
- Rolling Stone (9/3/98, p. 102) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...pulverizing hard-rock riffs propelled by drums and electronic percussion, a sonic assault that, under all the bombast, is as meticulously arranged as any Whitney Houston track..."[4]
- Allmusic - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...it delivers the goods, arguably even better than Astro-Creep: 2000. To outsiders, the entire schlock enterprise may seem ridiculous or sound monotonous, but even the weak cuts here hit hard and give fans exactly what they want."[1]
- Entertainment Weekly - C+ - "It's all a little creepy, to be sure, but Zombie's cartoonish antics are too over-the-top to really get under your skin."[2]
[edit] Artwork
The album's song titles and the art of the label and lyric book bespeak Zombie's fascination with classic horror films and tropes.
The album was re-released in 2005, with a DVD containing a music video for every song as well as brand-new artwork. While Zombie directed the music videos, some fans showed disliking for the artwork by Austrian chef Jörg Fercher, in which Zombie took no part.
[edit] Other media
- A remix of the song (Hot Rod Herman remix) "Dragula" was included on the soundtrack to the 1999 film The Matrix and the 2000 film Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2.
- A remix (Hot Rod Herman remix) of "Dragula" was used in the video game Twisted Metal 4 and featured Rob Zombie as a playable character.
- The song was used in American version of Gran Turismo 2
- The PlayStation game Sled Storm used the Hot Rod Herman remix of "Dragula" during the intro, it was also part of the game soundtrack.
- "Superbeast", "Dragula" and "Meet the Creeper" are featured in the video game Twisted Metal 3.
- "Living Dead Girl" was used in the opening credits for 1998's Bride of Chucky.
- "Spookshow Baby" was featured in the 1998 horror movie Urban Legend.
- "Demonoid Phenomenon" and several other tracks from the album were used in the videogame Nightmare Creatures II in 2000, "Demonoid Phenomenon" being used for the game's opening cinematic.
- In the Malcolm in the Middle episode "Home Alone 4", Richie is seen wearing a Hellbilly Deluxe T-shirt.
- "Superbeast" is part of the soundtrack in the game Brütal Legend.
- "Dragula" and "Superbeast" were released as downloadable content on October 27, 2009 for the Rock Band series.
- "Dragula" was played in the background of a spring break scene in the show King of the Hill.
[edit] Track listing
All lyrics written by Rob Zombie, all music composed by Rob Zombie and Scott Humphrey, except "Superbeast" by Rob Zombie, Scott Humphrey and Charlie Clouser.
| 1. |
"Call of the Zombie" |
0:30 |
| 2. |
"Superbeast" |
3:40 |
| 3. |
"Dragula" |
3:42 |
| 4. |
"Living Dead Girl" |
3:21 |
| 5. |
"Perversion 99" |
1:43 |
| 6. |
"Demonoid Phenomenon" |
4:11 |
| 7. |
"Spookshow Baby" |
3:38 |
| 8. |
"How to Make a Monster" |
1:38 |
| 9. |
"Meet the Creeper" |
3:13 |
| 10. |
"The Ballad of Resurrection Joe and Rosa Whore" |
3:55 |
| 11. |
"What Lurks on Channel X?" |
2:29 |
| 12. |
"Return of the Phantom Stranger" |
4:31 |
| 13. |
"The Beginning of the End" |
1:52 |
|
Total length:
|
38:23 |
[edit] Chart positions
- Album
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1998 |
The Billboard 200 |
5 |
| Top Canadian Albums |
2 |
- Singles
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1998 |
"Dragula" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks |
6 |
| Modern Rock Tracks |
27 |
| 1999 |
"Living Dead Girl" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks |
7 |
| Modern Rock Tracks |
22 |
| "Superbeast" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks |
26 |
[edit] References
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