“La Sexorcisto” released into a dying metal scene where many fans were either disillusioned with the thrash of yesteryears or diving deeper into more extreme forms of metal. But White Zombie happened to be carrying the sound the scene was looking for when they dropped this album in 1992. The result for the band and the genre was a commercial and artistic turning point that reinvigorated the scene. It was a straight-up metal record dripping reverb and built on chugging riffs but was a fresh take with electronic samples and groovy, danceable melodies. It was fun, fresh and weird, just as the metal gods intended.
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.
