Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool Review

Posted by Marshall Slayton on 02.02.2010

Rob Zombie finally returns with a sequel to Hellbilly Deluxe! Does it recapture that album's former glory, or is it merely trying to cash-in on the name? 411's Marshall Slayton checks in with the full review...



1. Jesus Frankenstein
2. Sick Bubblegum
3. What?
4. Mars Needs Women
5. Werewolf, Baby
6. Virgin Witch
7. Dream Factory
8. Burn
9. Cease To Exist
10. Werewolf Women of the SS
11. The Man Who Laughs

Why the hell did Hellbilly Deluxe need a sequel? The first album was Zombie’s shining moment as a solo artist, proof that he could exist on his own without the help of White Zombie. Most of the material here tries to duplicate the successful formula of his original record – horror movies, angry choruses, and growling guitar riffs.

So, what is he trying to do? Go back to the start, I presume. Find his roots. Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is filled with the same staples as its predecessor. We got horror movie clips, check. A deformed-looking Zombie faceshot on the cover, check. Song titles like “Werewolf, Baby” and “Virgin Witch,” check. Original lineup including Zombie’s best guitarist, Riggs? Uncheck. Oh, well – at least we got three out of four.

Rob Zombie has referred to the album as a companion piece to the original Hellbilly Deluxe, but that’s a pretty bogus claim. The same could be said for any of his follow-ups, The Sinister Urge or Educated Horses. His latest album simply has the benefit of a title, since it claims to be the sequel to Hellbilly Deluxe, we can expect it to have the same thunder, right?

Wrong.

Hellbilly Deluxe 2 has less in common with “The Empire Strikes Back” or “The Godfather 2” and should be likened to “Speed 2,”or “The Matrix: Revolutions.” It is, without question, the inferior album. Perhaps during Zombie’s time behind the camera making horror movies, he forgot how to craft a great record. Or, even likelier – now that he’s married to Sheri Moon Zombie (and includes her in just about everything), no one’s around to tell him, “Rob…this isn’t your best… you can do better.” Or maybe I’ve got it all wrong. Maybe Zombie can’t do better. Maybe he’s actually gotten old. Hellbilly Deluxe was twelve years ago! A lot can happen in a decade.

But enough bashing -- Hellbilly Deluxe 2 has, despite all this, several strong moments.

Take the opener, “Jesus Frankenstein,” which could’ve been from the original album. The chorus is very “Dragula”-esque, featuring the shouting, deep-voiced Zombie we’ve come to love. “ALL HAIL… JESUS FRANKENSTEIN!” is, in fact, a great chorus, and simple enough for sweaty fans to belt out at concerts. This is how Zombie sounds at his best, so it’s a pretty epic disappointment that most of the other songs feature the raspy, Kid-Rock- Zombie voice.



“Sick Bubblegum” is a fine single, and should please listeners who enjoy hearing the word “Motherfucker!” repeated to death. When Zombie yells “Rock the motherfucker, yeah,” he’s actually rockin’ the motherfucker. Good on him. Meanwhile, the other single, “What?” is appropriately titled, since I can’t understand a single word he says. Rob sounds as though he’s recording all of his lyrics through his sweater sleeve. The chorus sounds like:

“Garble garble garble garble garble…. What?!”

On the upside, “Mars Needs Women” is my favorite cut from the album, beginning with an acoustic introduction vaguely reminiscent of a theme from a Western movie. The combination of a bass drum and vocals welcome the tongue-in-cheek chorus: “Mars needs women! Angry, red women!” This begins the headbanger’s guitar breakdown, made for the sole purpose of bobbing your head. It’s a beautiful track, one that shows the artist in top form.

With “Werewolf Baby,” the album begins its descent into middle America. The wailing guitar riff reveals that Zombie is, in fact, a huge Lynard Skynard fan – and a lover of 1970’s rock. “Virgin Witch” works tremendously well with sampling choir; it’s creepy like a church sermon eclipsed by black fog and red lights.

“Dream Factory” marks the decline of the album, veering off into Educated Horses territory. Having Zombie moan “Hollywooooooddddd….” comes across as mildly irritating, and mocking robot noises in “Burn” only seems silly. There’s nothing noteworthy about “Cease to Exist” or “Werewolf Women of the SS,” as they are merely preludes to the grand finale, “The Man Who Laughs,” which goes for the gold. At nearly 10 minutes (1/3 the length of the entirety of Hellbilly Deluxe), Zombie brings in the symphony for epic experimentation. I admire the artist for going over-the-top, but it could have ended at 4 minutes and done without the long drumming interlude. Dragging it out to ten minutes only results in a directionless track with lots of filler.

The 411: In the end, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 could have been a disaster, and it isn’t. Some of the tracks are very good, and only a few should have been left off altogether. In some instances, you get a sensation of déjà vu, signs that Rob Zombie is still alive and well and can rock like the best. It isn’t the follow-up to Hellbilly Deluxe as I would have hoped for, as I would have preferred a little more “Hellbilly” and a little less “hillbilly.” But if this is the album Rob Zombie needed to make to get his career back on track as a musician, then it may have been worthwhile to follow up his debut.

Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]