Produced by Rob Zombie
Released: February 2, 2010
For a while it seemed as if Rob Zombie had forsaken his musical career in favour of auteuristic film-making, but after more than a year sitting in a can somewhere, his fourth solo album has at last seen the light of day. Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool is the logical companion to his 1999 effort and is a direct return to his signature sound after the darker and unpopular Educated Horses album.
The original Hellbilly Deluxe was one of the most rambunctious albums of its year of release, a fun and catchy if imminently disposable slice of gaudy schlock rock. Its "sequel" -- if the word can be used -- tries to be the same yet doesn't quite pull it off. Recycling the original's campy, B-grade, sexploitation-film style artwork and the standard trashy grooves he's used on everything he's ever done, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is pretty much the same style-over-substance vibe of stripclub horror metal as before, but without all the hooks. Where the first Hellbilly was dominated by memorable, shout-along tracks like "Dragula", "Meet the Creeper" and "Superbeast", this one doesn't really stick in your head. "Sick Bubblegum" gives it a go, but after the fifth or sixth "Yeah, motherfucker, yeah motherfucker, yeah!" it feels as if his heart just isn't in it. "Werewolf, Baby!" (one of two --two! -- songs about werewolves) is a throwback to the punkish grooves of White Zombie and the bluesy acoustic guitars of "Mars Need Women" are a nicely interesting touch.
John 5 does some very cool 60s surf-guitar inspired work on "Werewolf Women of the SS" which results in the catchiest song on the album, although it's a bit late in the playlist to save the rest of it. "The Man Who Laughs" is pretty hook-y too but Zombie overplays his hand (naturally) by including a pointless, not-very-interesting four minute long drum solo that totally ruins it. In the end, it's catchy enough, and it's Rob Zombie so there's fun to be had, but doesn't stand up to the first one.
- Jesus Frankenstein
- Sick Bubblegum
- What?
- Mars Need Women
- Werewolf, Baby!
- Virgin Witch
- Death and Destiny Inside the Dream Factory
- Burn
- Cease to Exist
- Werewolf Women of the SS
- The Man Who Laughs
Rating: 62%
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