Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 21/04/2015
Label: Relapse Records
‘The Zombi Anthology’
CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
Sequence 1
2).
Sequence 2
3).
Sequence 3
4).
Sequence 4
5).
Sequence 5
6).
Sequence 6
7).
Sequence 7
8).
Sequence 8
9).
Sequnce 8 (Alternate Version)
10).
Gemini, Pt. 2
11).
Twilight Sentinel
12).
DMC-12
Zombi is:
Steve
Moore
A.E.
Paterra
Review:
For
fans of late 70's, early 80's horror and sci-fi movies, Zombi provides the
ultimate soundtrack to a time when good guys and bad guys alike had mullets,
dangly ear rings, and lazer sights on their pistols. A time when cars exploded for no reason and
international terrorists stole floppy disks containing industrial secrets and
sold them to the highest bidder. A time when karate could solve all your
problems and the undead walked the streets at night. If you enjoy Lamborghinis
jumping hundreds of feet, landing unscathed, or motorcycles traveling through
time, then listen to any Zombi record.
Zombi
is a Pittsburgh-based instrumental duo, featuring Steve Moore on Keyboards and
bass guitar, and Anthony Paterra on the drumset. The band is inspired by movie
soundtracks of the past, think John Carpenter meets Neil Peart. Collecting
tracks from their first 2 EP's, the Anthology is now available for the first
time on vinyl, thanks to Relapse Records.
The
keyboards are thick and lush, but the virtuoso drumming of the band's later
recordings is largely absent. Instead,
the first 9 tracks feature simple programmed drum loops that serve as a basic
accompaniment to the eerie keyboard arrangements. As an avid Zombi fan and
regular listener of their other albums, I was a bit thrown by the lack of a live
drumset on this release, but once my ears adjusted, I could appreciate this
album for what it is: a document of a great band in its early stages and the
soundtrack to a non-existent horror/sci-fi movie. The movie would be dark, low budget, gritty
and violent, set in a dystopian future. There would definitely be cyborgs--
maybe an army of zombified cyborg hybrids with lazer cannons on their
shoulders. There would be creepy chase
scenes through dark labyrinths, heads exploding, and karate, lots of karate.
The
opening track, "Sequence 1," is a creepy, slow-paced piece in the
lower register that conjures images of reanimated corpses lumbering through
dark alleyways. I could see myself cranking this one on Halloween to scare the
pants off young trick-or-treaters. As you progress through the album, each song
could be the background music to a different movie scene. A slow pan through
the laboratory of an evil corporation, then protagonists desperately climbing through
airducts, with zombies clawing at their heels. You get the idea.
The
final track on the album, "DMC-12," launches in with a furious
prog-inspired drum assault. This is the kind of drumming you find throughout
their later albums: fiery, thoughtful, and perfectly executed. It's a truly fun album that serves as a solid
prequel to the band's first official release (and my personal favorite), 2004's
‘Cosmos’. If you've ever seen a Dario Argento film or Tom Selleck's Runaway,
you'll understand what this album is trying to achieve. I can't wait to pick
this up on vinyl.
Words by: Doza Hawes
‘The
Zombi Anthology’ is available here
For more information:
