A pandemic and a parody
It’s
cheerfully ironic that Zombies arrived to clean the cesspool
of South African metal. Since Zombies entered the Western Cape
scene, few were left with any doubt that we are in the presence of an enigma.
With an affinity for extensive songs, integrating insane harmony between the
guitars and the vocals there is simply no room for boredom. Aesthetically bringing
an innovative project to the table, Patient Zero proceeds
through a four-song journey to hell and back.
Adriano
(an enigma himself) has led and developed the guitar sound of Zombies to
a unique, dynamic level. Gavin on the vocals is simply an annihilation of
screams. He engulfs the microphone with lows and highs, spewing intelligent
lyrics that reduce the divide between music and poetry. About Louis (ex- Broken
Result vocalist) nothing negative can be uttered: a late addition to
the band, Louis has become diagnostic of the Zombies pandemic.
Ex- Day Turns Night drummer Ferdi pounds the drums with such
vengeance that respect for the mighty beast is immediately earned. With Wesley
on bass, Zombies transcend the stale convention of only being
good in studio, with their live shows bringing about a spectacle worth
witnessing from the heavens.
Deathworm
Deathworm is so tasteful that even “God
is getting jiggy with it”. Starting with exploding vocals and fast-paced
drumming Deathworm creates a sif sound not for the faint of
heart. At 02:30 one is invited to a succession of melody, before a massive
detonation. With Ferdi pounding the drums with pin-point precision and unholy
lyrics such as “your God is dead”, we have to bow before the monstrous
importance of Zombies.
Whatever Forever
Whatever Forever starts with powerful drum
variations and with the lyrics “if you can’t handle this, just kill yourself
for fuck sake” you are immediately seduced into head-banging. By the end the
words “all fair in love and war” is etched into your mind. Holistically, Whatever
Forever is a satirical ‘go-fuck-yourself’. By 02:40 the drums and
lead-guitar climax into an apocalyptic wasteland of chaos, swaying rhythms
leading the way to an erogenous exhibition of what metal can deliver in South
Africa.
Silent Night
Silent Night is my personal favourite.
The intro’s vocals stand unmatched, built through a tower of sound. With
biblical fierceness Zombies established a new rite – a carol
for the damned. This song demands their just place as talented musicians who
are able to create divine ecstasy.
Robert Carlyle
By
contributing to the pandemic, Robert Carlyle rounds off the
milieu of refined chaos. This song exposes their ability to create complex
music, without falling into a cycle. The song comprises two unconventional
tempos between the vocals and the rhythm of the guitars, making the diction
different to other songs.
In essence
Zombies ate my girlfriend makes the
shepherds shit themselves. After the trip to hell and back, one is left
perplexed as to the array of sounds that have infested your brain. With a
complex, refined sound it is incommensurable to gauge the seemingly endless
potential of Zombies ate my girlfriend. Simply put a super-group –
sharing a lot of talent and experience.