Rob Zombie- Past, Present, and Future

In 2003, Rob Zombie released Past, Present & Future, a career-spanning greatest hits package containing both Rob Zombie and White Zombie material. If you're looking for some bang for your buck, this is one greatest hits set that won't hang you out to dry. Featuring an 18 song audio disc and a bonus dvd with 10 music videos, Past, Present & Future offers more quality content for less money than just about any other hits package I've seen.

The audio disc assembles 18 hits and rarities from Zombie's career. Kicking off with six White Zombie tracks (including both singles and rarities like "I'm Your Boogeyman" from the Crow: City of Angels soundtrack), the album then ventures into solo territory with everything from the requisite hits to his recent cover of The Ramones classic "Blitzkrieg Bop" to material from the House of 1000 Corpses soundtrack. Also included are two new tracks, both top-notch offerings that fall seamlessly into place in Zombie's kitsch-filled, horror-inspired industrial alt/glam metal universe. While fans can always find a few tracks that "should have" been included, this is a pretty complete package overall that will even fill in a few holes in the collections of fans that don't have some of the compilation tracks featured here.

While the CD is the main offering here, the bonus DVD is an even bigger treat. It features 10 music videos, including previously unreleased videos for "Demonoid Phenomenon", "Return of the Phantom Stranger", and "Spookshow Baby". You'll find classics like White Zombie's "More Human Than Human" alongside prolific Rob Zombie offerings including "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl", quite possibly two of the best music videos ever made. Most of the videos were directed by Rob himself and feature his flair for over-the-top editing as well as his tendency toward cult horror. While some fans were a bit upset at the record label's censoring of "Demonoid Phenomenon", a video of live footage featuring dozens of blurred topless women in the audience, it really doesn't detract from the quality of this DVD. Some material is missing, but it's a great DVD overall topped off by a cool comic book-esque interactive menu. This is certainly something hardcore Zombie fans have been waiting for, and I imagine many of them will be buying the greatest hits disc for the bonus features rather than the main CD.

Topped off with a page of liner notes from shock rock icon Alice Cooper and a substantial booklet featuring numerous pages of photos, this double disc collection is one of the best package deals out there, especially considering the fact that many retailers are selling it for under $13. Whether you're a hardcore Rob Zombie/White Zombie fan or like that one song you heard on the radio, this is one package that's certainly worth buying without a second thought.