Unskippable

Episode 5

Track: Ratfinks, Suicide Tanks, and Cannibal Girls

Artist: White Zombie

Released: 1996

Genre(s): Industrial Metal, Neo-Psychedelia, Groove Metal

I’ve been a fan of White Zombie since, oh man, 1994, 95, somewhere in there. More Human Than Human …. actually, all of the Astro-Creep 2000 album was my jam for a good long time. For whatever reason my teenage brain didn’t think to look for more White Zombie music and it wasn’t until Rob Zombie went solo with Hellbilly Deluxe that I bought another ‘Zombie’ album. I tell you this so when I say, this track came up in a Discover Weekly and I had never heard it before and was pleased, you understand.

I was just doing a shift for work, nothing special, it came on and I was all, “oh! This is White Zombie.” Volume up. The percussion, not just the drums. The bass. The guitar. All classic Zombie components. I cant understand a word he’s saying except for maybe he’s singing “Dancin'” in the chorus, but I have no idea, never looked them up and not sure I care too.

The fact is, what I like, what I really like about this song is the vibe. The feeling I get from it. Rob Zombie has an affinity for old (circa 1930’s to 70’s) horror, pulp, sci-fi, b-movies and exploitation films. This is obvious in his music, the art work included with the albums, even his first movie House of 1000 Corpses is heavily influenced by his love for schlock. The name of his band itself, White Zombie, is the name of a 1932 movie of the same name, considered to be the first zombie film. As a fan of horror myself and that pulpy Creepshow, Tales from the Crypt style of art, it makes sense that I’d be a fan of Zombie. But this is about this song.

Ratfinks, Suicide Tanks and Cannibal Girls really gives me that 70’s pulp b-movie horror vibe. The percussion is intense and deep, lending itself to some real foot stomping, head banging. The bass and guitar add a psychedelic groove that is inescapable. His vocals round out the track with that raspy, spooky voice of his, though, as I mentioned, no idea what he’s saying, and honestly it doesn’t matter. It’s the cadence and harmony his voice adds to the track rounding it out. It’s more an instrumental track with vocal noises than lyrics, in my opinion anyway.

If you’re looking for a foot stomping, head bangin good time. Add this to your playlist. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.