The final studio album from groove metal band White Zombie, “Astro Creep: 2000” proved to be a seminal release for groove metal and industrial metal. It was the kind of album that belonged to the grease monkies and battle-vested weirdos with its big, crunchy guitars. It proved that the influences and vision White Zombie were working with had real play in the mainstream. Goth, electronic, hip-hop fusions in metal were the future and White Zombie knew ten years before much of the Nu-Metal visionaries mastered their take. The album ultimately was the band's final resting place, but they rode out like a flaming motorcycle soaring over the eternal void.
Although often remembered as the band Rob Zombie started, White Zombie and its members contributed far more to metal than just him (No disrespect to Rob). Rob and his then-girlfriend Sean Yseult co-founded White Zombie as art school students in the grimy NYC underground of the 80s. In a male-dominated scene, Sean regularly was singled out as a groupie or token rather than the creative force she was or much less a member of the band. Musically, Sean arguably was the backbone, having been classically trained as a kid. Beyond that, Sean also had a keen sense for visuals, pursuing photography and design. And for a band like White Zombie, visuals were just as important as the sound. Her knowledge made White Zombie’s vision as a theatrical horror metal-fusion band a reality. And whether you love him or hate him, Rob’s creativity and gruff vocals completed White Zombie as one of the most influential metal bands of the 90s. Fun fact for the New Orleans folks, Sean founded and then ran a local bar, The Saint, for many years that you can still visit.
