Wikipedia

Astro-Creep: 2000

(Redirected from El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama)

Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head is the fourth and final studio album by American heavy metal band White Zombie, released on April 11, 1995, by Geffen Records. The album proved to be their most commercially successful recording, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200 with the aid of the popular hit singles "More Human than Human" and "Super-Charger Heaven". It was the band's only studio album to feature John Tempesta on drums.

Astro-Creep: 2000
Studio album by
White Zombie
ReleasedApril 11, 1995 (1995-04-11)
RecordedSeptember–December 1994
StudioNRG (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length52:01
LabelGeffen
ProducerTerry Date
White Zombie chronology
La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One
(1992) 		Astro-Creep: 2000
(1995) 		Supersexy Swingin' Sounds
(1996)
Singles from Astro-Creep: 2000
  1. "More Human than Human"
    Released: May 7, 1995 (1995-05-07)
  2. "Electric Head, Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)"
    Released: October 1995 (1995-10)
  3. "Super-Charger Heaven"
    Released: 1996
Audio
"Album" playlist on YouTube

Production

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The album was highly anticipated due to the surprise success of the band's previous release La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One. Ivan DePrume, the band's long-time drummer, had left the band to start Burningsound studios during their touring sessions for that album. The band later recruited former Exodus and Testament drummer John Tempesta for the recording of this album. The album had help from significant industrial musicians, such as the keyboard work from Charlie Clouser, who had worked with artists like Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, Killing Joke, and more. They had also hired Terry Date (Deftones, Pantera, Soundgarden) to produce Astro-Creep: 2000 for them. According to J., the album comprises seventy-two track recordings, forty-eight of which are analog and twenty-four being digital recordings.[4] For the album, the band had a much bigger recording budget and more freedom in time.

The entire album took three months to write and another three to record. Writing for the album began in June 1994, shortly after White Zombie finished touring Japan.[5] Recording was scheduled to commence in September 1994,[6] and the album was finished by Christmas 1994.[5]

Music and lyrics

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The album is much heavier than La Sexorcisto and has been called "white-trash-on-acid metal" by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.[7] The band also down-tuned the guitars and bass to give it the darker sound that the songs required, going from standard E tuning to dropped C# (1.5 steps below standard E).[citation needed]

Much of the lyrics are also darker and more disturbing than on the previous album, and are arranged more like twisted poetry than La Sexorcisto's pseudo-rap scores, dealing with murder, the undead, blasphemy, and satanic elements.[citation needed]

As with the previous two albums, many of the songs feature snippets of dialogue from horror and cult films including The Omega Man, Shaft, The Haunting, The Curse of Frankenstein and To the Devil a Daughter. The titular refrain of "More Human Than Human" is taken from the 1982 film Blade Runner.[8]

Rob has said he favors this album to the previous one, stating, "I was never that happy with it [La Sexorcisto]. In some respects, it was probably the best thing we could do at the time under the circumstances; and that this record was exactly what we wanted it to sound like."[9]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [7]
Chicago Tribune    [10]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[11]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [12]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[13]
Kerrang!      (1995)[14]
      (2011)[15]
Los Angeles Times    [16]
The Philadelphia Inquirer    [17]
Q     [18]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [19]

Astro-Creep: 2000 received generally positive reviews from critics, it is White Zombie's best-selling album, being certified double Platinum by the RIAA and selling over 2,600,000 copies in America since its release. There was also a limited 50,000 pressings of this album on see-through blue vinyl. The album has been certified by CAN platinum. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album and the band's biggest hit, "More Human than Human", nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1996.

To promote the album, music videos for "More Human than Human", "Electric Head Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)", and a live video for "Super-Charger Heaven" were released. In 1995, "More Human than Human" won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video.

There were also plans to start filming a video for "Blood, Milk and Sky" after Christmas as well as eventually filming a video for every song on the album.[20] However, these plans were scrapped when the band dissolved.

Accolades

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Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Kerrang! United Kingdom "Albums of the Year"[21] 1995 2
Rocksound France "Albums of the Year"[22] 1995 20
OOR Netherlands "Albums of the Year"[23] 1995 23
RAW United Kingdom "90 essential albums for the 90s"[24] 1995 *
Kerrang! United Kingdom "100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die"[25] 1998 20
Pause & Play United States "The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums"[26] 1999 11
Visions Germany "The Most Important Albums of the 90s"[27] 2005 91
Classic Rock & Metal Hammer United Kingdom "The 200 Greatest Albums of the 90s"[citation needed] 2006 *

Track listing

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All lyrics are written by Rob Zombie

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta4:54
2."Super-Charger Heaven"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta3:37
3."Real Solution #9"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta4:44
4."Creature of the Wheel"Yseult, Yuenger3:25
5."Electric Head Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta3:53
6."Grease Paint and Monkey Brains"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta3:49
7."I, Zombie"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta3:31
8."More Human than Human"Yseult, Yuenger4:28
9."El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta4:13
10."Blur the Technicolor"Yseult, Yuenger4:09
11."Blood, Milk and Sky[I]"Yseult, Yuenger, Tempesta11:21
Total length:52:01

^ I "Blood, Milk and Sky" contains the hidden track "Where the Sidewalk Ends, the Bug Parade Begins" at 8:45, after 3 minutes of silence. On the digital version, however, the hidden track is its own 2:33 track.[28]

Personnel

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Adapted from the Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head liner notes.[29]

Chart positions

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[42] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[45] 2× Platinum 2,500,000[44]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States 1995 Geffen CD, CS, LP GEF 24806
Europe 2012 Music on Vinyl LP MOVLP547

References

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  1. ^ Krovatin, Chris (April 11, 2019). "White Zombie's Astro-Creep: 2000 Is The Ultimate '90s Metal Album". Kerrang!.
  2. ^ "WHITE ZOMBIE, "Astro-Creep: 2000"; Geffen". Los Angeles Times. April 9, 1995. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "The 25 Best Alternative Metal Albums — Metal Descent". metaldescent.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Veneris, Andreas. "Interview: White Zombie/J". VIBE. December 8, 1995, at Rosemont Horizon, Chicago. cited October 31, 2008
  5. ^ a b Anon. (May 19, 1995). "White Zombie" (PDF). The Hard Report (424): 49–51. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  6. ^ Sholin, Dave (August 12, 1994). "Sho-Talk" (PDF). Gavin Report (2017): 9.
  7. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head – White Zombie". AllMusic. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  8. ^ Larsen, Dave (May 19, 1995). "New life for White Zombie". Dayton Daily News (Go!): 18. ProQuest 253818945.
  9. ^ Engleheart, Murray. "White Zombie Monster Cars & Monster Music". Rip. October, 1995. cited October 30, 2008
  10. ^ Golemis, Dean (April 20, 1995). "Surreal Thing". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  11. ^ Popoff, Martin (2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 499–500. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  12. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2007). "White Zombie". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. pp. 1487–1488. ISBN 978-0857125958.
  13. ^ Zogbi, Marina (April 14, 1995). "Astro Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head". Entertainment Weekly. p. 64. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  14. ^ Beebee, Steve (April 29, 1995). "Albumz". Kerrang!. No. 543. EMAP. p. 43.
  15. ^ Slessor, Dan (November 2011). "White Zombie: Astro-Creep 2000: Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head". Kerrang!: 666 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die!. Bauer Media Group. p. 123.
  16. ^ Gold, Jonathan (April 9, 1995). "White Zombie, 'Astro-Creep: 2000'; Geffen". Los Angeles Times (Calendar). p. 62. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  17. ^ Warren, Bruce (April 30, 1995). "White Zombie: Astro-Creep: 2000 (Geffen)". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  18. ^ "White Zombie: Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head". Q. No. 106. July 1995. p. 131.
  19. ^ Gross, Joe (2004). "White Zombie". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 870–71. ISBN 9780743201698.
  20. ^ Miller, Gerri. "White Zombie Live & Backstage". Metal Edge Magazine. March, 1996. cited October 30, 2008
  21. ^ Anon. (December 23, 1995). "The Albums of 1995". Kerrang!. No. 577. EMAP. p. 53.
  22. ^ "Rocksound – Albums of the Year". Rocksound. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  23. ^ "OOR – Albums of the Year". OOR. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  24. ^ "RAW – 90 essential albums for the 90s". RAW. Archived from the original on April 29, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  25. ^ "Kerrang! – 100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on April 15, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  26. ^ "Pause & Play – The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums". Pause & Play. Archived from the original on March 28, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
  27. ^ "Visions – The Most Important Albums of the 90s". Visions. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
  28. ^ "Astro Creep: 2000 Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head". Spotify. 1995.
  29. ^ Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (booklet). White Zombie. Los Angeles, California: Geffen Records. 1995.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ "Australiancharts.com – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  31. ^ "Austriancharts.at – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  32. ^ "White Zombie - Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  33. ^ "Lescharts.com – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  34. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  35. ^ "Charts.nz – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  36. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  37. ^ "Swisscharts.com – White Zombie – Astro Creep: 2000 Songs Of Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  38. ^ a b "White Zombie | full Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  39. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  40. ^ "White Zombie Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  41. ^ Peaks of singles in Australia:
    • "Electric Head Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)": Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 300.
    • "More Human Than Human": "Discography White Zombie". australian-charts.com. Retrieved June 3, 2008.
  42. ^ "Canadian album certifications – White Zombie – Astrocreep: 2000". Music Canada.
  43. ^ "British album certifications – White Zombie – Astro Creep 2000". British Phonographic Industry.
  44. ^ Hill, Stephen (April 11, 2015). "20 Years Of White Zombie – Astro-Creep: 2000". Metal Hammer (loudersound). Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  45. ^ "American album certifications – White Zombie – Astro-Creep: 2000". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
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