Zombie Girl - Killer Queen

For six whole years Zombie Girl had been quiet. Starting in 2006 with their "Back From The Dead" EP, Sebastian Komor and Renee Cooper rocked the scene left and right with intoxicating sounds. Their further domination splattered us about with "Blood, Brains & Rock'N'Roll". After a successful streak and some internal beef, Cooper abandoned the project with Komor recording "The Halloween" EP solo, releasing it in 2009. However, since then, there has been nothing but dead silence. Fans wondered whether or not the haunting siren would ever return to music. 

It was only until earlier this year when Alfa-Matrix released their much praised "Endzeit Bunker Tracks [ACT VII]" that we all got the answer we've been waiting for. A mix for the track "Panic Attack" done by Acylum was found on the compilation, and it was only two weeks after the compilation that Zombie Girl, now only starring Renee Cooper, officially unveiled the "Panic Attack" EP. Coinciding with that release was the announcement of Zombie Girl's new album, "Killer Queen". 

Some were skeptical of the direction that Zombie Girl would take without Komor, since Cooper would now be hurling this flagship on her own. To my own pleasure, Cooper keeps Zombie Girl as alive and energetic as ever, delivering a rock solid album packed with varying club hits, chilling electro works, and undead attitude. 

The album starts off with two solid dancefloor hits 'Thorazine' and the already well known and loved 'Panic Attack'. Where 'Thorazine' succeeds is in its understanding that is a fairly repetitive club song, but it ends perfectly under the three minute mark. The short length makes it fast and speedy, but insures that the song will not dull. 'Panic Attack' marks defining, whispering vocals from Cooper that will hit your ears in all the right places. 

Now, the title track is by far one of my favorite songs on the entire album. I find myself chilling alongside the groovy backing synth on drives to and from work. This album is gearing up for a Halloween release, and this song perfectly captures the mood and spirit of the dark holiday. Paired next to the quasi-trippy sound of 'Night Drive', these two songs mark an extreme high point on the album that just cannot be beaten. 

Taking your mind off the club stompers, 'Kiss Kiss Kiss' brings across a new side of Zombie Girl. It's a soothing electro song that's as romantic as it is 80s inspired. Perhaps purposely placed after this love song, the more biting and sexy song 'Pleasure Games' came right after. Seeking to lure you in with sensuality, it will crush you and sting you with all its might. 

Down-tempo D'n'B plays in 'Rave Of The Dead', and despite its title, this track doesn't really play out heavy electronics or anything of the sort. It is more or less like an invocation of the undead, rising them from their graves to join a hungry undead army ready to feast. 'Dead Inside' brings us back to electronic mayhem with another club beat that's sure to riddle you up and down. The last two tracks are covers of both The Cure's 'Fascination Street' and the much underrated act Berlin's 'Pleasure Victim'. Personally I prefer 'Pleasure Victim', as it not only can live up to the original, but we get to hear Cooper's cleaner chords. These are just as, if not better, than her darker, more aggressive chords presented on all the other songs, and again showcases that Zombie Girl is a very talented individual. 

Additionally, four remixes are attached to the album. PreEmptive Strike 0.1, the trance-a-holics they are, take 'Rave Of The Dead' and put a high energy, electronic spin on the song. This is perhaps one of my favorite remixes I've heard from the Greek band, and I salute them for it. Aesthetische caught me off guard with a very chill, electronic version of 'Dead Inside'. It differs from most of the other tracks located on the album as it comes off as easy listening, but still maintains a lovely air about it. Diabolic Art took 'Pleasure Games' and brought it into tribal territory with on spot percussion and a general eerie vibe running through the song. This is an act that doesn't have much of a following yet, but I think it'd be smart to keep an eye on them. 

However, out of all of these, Hell:Sector cranked out the best remix. Putting a hard edged mix on the title track, this Norwegian act even went so far as to record a second set of vocals for the remix. Fusing their aggressive aggrotech with Zombie Girl's pitch perfect notes made this remix seem much more like a collaboration that should have happened in the first place rather than a remix. The final minute where both Cooper and Hell:Sector's vocals collide is such auditory bliss that I listened to this mix at least six or seven times by now. It's fantastic. 

Again, I will say that there were some who were skeptical as to whether or not Zombie Girl would be able to stay afloat without Komor, but, hot damn, Cooper is able to kick ass just fine on her own. It may have been six years since we last heard from her, but I prefer quality over quantity, and that's exactly what's provided here. 

A new age of Zombie Girl has been ushered in by Cooper, and her living-dead apparition and supernatural sounds will bedevil you this Halloween. Be warned, be spooked, but never stop dancing to ZBM. 
Sep 22 2015