ZOMBI

ZOMBI is the bass-synth and drums duo (Moore and Paterra) created in 2001 which performed with Red Sparrows and Goblin playing dark, electronic, intimate, underground rock on melodies of a sensibility leading to unhealthy reverie. References to the great Tangerine Dream which embark on dark and fresh atmospheres at the same time, watch out for the sting of the ray for listening.

"Mangler" starts with hypnotic and atmospheric proto-kraut, a hyper-present rhythmic section with bass and drums by Paterra, a throbbing, monolithic, black tune while crescendo, Archive in memory. "Darker and more intimate song based on a black and bewitching Robert Smith riff, synthetic majestic air bringing a dreamlike tension; crescendic effect often found on the soundtracks of Tangerine Dream films, a good attractive title. '' Liquid Crystal '' title reminiscent of 'Sorcerer' precisely or Carpenter for this minimalist, linear, creative and ethereal sound, an even higher rise where synths and drums are having a blast until the enjoyable deliverance of the guitar overboosted by Moore, immense synth prog. "Turning Points" for the track with an ascending rhythm reminding me of the bass of The Cure period cold wave or that of The Gathering for the symphonic metal; Goblin for the soaring sympho-orchestral tune; monolithic title that captivates you, hypnotizes you, creating an unhealthy tension that sets your hair up. "Black Forest" to end this EP which I cannot forget to quote Tangerine Dream with "Force Majeure" or "Thief"; 80's sound with a funky note with Moroder too, in short a heavy groove that makes you go into ecstasy.

ZOMBI releases this hypnotic, dark, bewitching 6th EP on a retro-synth base; an electronic monolith to date the original creations of the Tangerine Dreams and the Red Sparrows with the sweetness of a Gregor Samsa.

This all instrumental duo cites TANGERINE DREAM, GOBLIN and RUSH among their influences, and they manage to blend all of these into a somewhat original style. Synthesizers abound and generate mellotronish soundtrack atmospheres, nowhere better than on "Interstellar Package". However, by the end of the disk it is clear that they have no idea how to nurture an idea. Every track promises more than it ultimately delivers; even GOBLIN soundtracks compensate atmospherics with dramatic flourishes, and both TANGERINE DREAM and PINK FLOYD know better how to envelope the listener in one mood here and another there. The ZOMBI sound suffers, not just from an excruciating lack of variety and development, but from an overly intense and yet unimaginative rhythm section, which defeats the very purpose of this type of music by insisting upon itself, drawing all manner of attention, only to further highlight a dearth of substance. Sometimes influence and inspiration are but two shiftless shapes that pass in the night.

I seem to be partial to Electronic bands that use at least some traditional "rock" instruments, and if they also use mellotron then i'm even more impressed. ZOMBI are the American duo of Steve Moore(bass & synths) and A.E. Paterra(drums & synths). These two guys have to be big fans of RUSH by the way they sound on the drums and bass respectively. Heck even the background synths bring to mind the "Moving Pictures" album. ZOMBI use a variety of analog synths and the various sounds they produce are impressive to say the least. I should also mention that there is some variety on this record from a couple of heavy Space Rock tunes to a TANGERINE DREAM-like track, to the epic that is very cinematic and at times haunting. Normally variety isn't my thing on an album but every song is incredible.

"Challenger" has a very RUSH-like start and check out the ground-shaking bass when it kicks in. Lots of background synths throughout this one. A great sounding tune that is quite heavy. "Digitalis" has this electronic beat that leads the way as synths then atmosphere join in. Killer sound 2 1/2 minutes in as the mellotron is added. "Legacy" like the opening track features some excellent bass and drum work. This drives the song along as background synths then other synths that pulse help out with the rhythm section. So good! This is quite repetitive as they seem to jam. Fantastic! "Surface To Air" has this dramatic start as we get this urgent sound full of suspense. Again the drumming is very upfront and incredible at the same time. A calm after 3 minutes as the synths roll in. So much atmosphere here then the drums kick in around 5 minutes as it builds. Nice.

"Night Rhythms" is the 18 1/2 minute closer. GOBLIN did come to mind with the cinematic nature of this track and the at times eerie atmosphere. A grand display of majestic synths slowly pulse then mellotron joins in. A change before 2 minutes as synths growl then haunting synths take over. The growly synths return as they pulse. Mellotron 4 minutes in then it turns haunting again a minute later. Mellotron choirs and an uptempo beat join in. Nice. A calm a minute later then the sequencers kick in with cymbals, then spacey synths follow. Growly bass after 9 minutes then the tempo picks up before 10 1/2 minutes. It settles back a minute later with dual synths pulsating wildly. It's cool to hear the drums and synth beat together around 16 minutes in. Spacey synths join in as well.

Probably closer to 4.5 stars and at around 45 minutes in length...just right.

In 2004 the time for the first full-length of Zombi album had come.It carried the title ''Cosmos'' amd most of its part was recorded at the Nightmare City Studios in Pittsburgh in November 2003 except for the drum parts, recorded at El Studio around the same time.The original edition in August was a CD by Release Entertainment, but the album earned several, highly collectable reissues on double vinyl over the years by both Relapse Records and Aesthetic Records.

The first few tracks saw Zombi covered in a Space Rock mood, the closest comparison are pioneers of the style OZRIC TENTACLES.Rhythmic, synth-drenched music, overpowered by nervous electronics and showered by powerful bass and drums, passing from a cosmic enviroment to sinister atmospheres akin to GOBLIN Horror Synth film scores.The first long cut, the almost 10-min. ''Serpens'' recalls 70's-era TANGERINE DREAM and even JEAN MICHEL JARRE's works, it has this narcotic styling based on symphonic soundscapes and metronomic beats, which eventually lead to a mass of flashy synthesizers and Pattera's frenetic drumming, this is a great piece of modern Electronic Prog.The 11-min. ''Gemini'' offers more of the same, hypnotic, cosmic images, characterized by spacey synths and electronic loops in a minimalistic approach, which will explode into full-blown Space/Electronic Prog with bombastic paces, grandiose keyboards and changing tempos.The brief, symphonic beauty of ''Andromeda'' with the dreamy, somewhat THE ENID-like keyboards works as an intro for the highly experimental experience of ''Taurus''.14 minutes of minimalistic Kraut-Electronic with Berlin-school experiments, a haunting drum beat and tons of distortions and sound effects, sounding like electronic oscillators, create something between abstract noise and Electronic Music with an outlandish atmosphere, this has definitely its own majestic charm.

Zombi appear at this point as a fresh aura in the field of Electronic Music.An original mix of GOBLIN, TANGERINE DREAM and THE OZRIC TENTACLES, struggling to rely on either Electronic or Space Rock grounds.Great album, strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Zombi's second full length album, "Surface To Air" is probably the most impressive work that the band will ever release. Drums, bass, & keyboards will creating a driving force inside your brain! I've been a huge fan of Zombi's music since about 2007, and since then I have bought and listened to just about everything they released, including solo and other projects of the two members of Zombi, Steve Moore & Anthony Patera.

This album offers up a mixture between the soundtracks of Goblin & John Carpenter, along with strong influence from Rush and Tangerine Dream. The bass and drum playing on this album are superb, and you can tell that the members of Zombi are hugely influenced by their personal taste in music.

Zombi works in driving and expanding rhythms, always building up to something grandiose. Some of the songs are more rock oriented, while still maintaining the dependency on sequenced synth lines, but once all the elements fall into place, you can't escape the magic of Zombi's rhythm. And that's what makes this album so fantastic; the driving rhythms keep you engaged, while also allowing you to drift into another place. Their first album "Cosmos" lacked these driving rhythms, and it suffers to some extent because of it.

Each song on this album offers up a treat:

-Challenger Deep is relentless and perhaps the most Goblin sounding song on the album. The bass is super reminiscent of Pignatelli's bass playing in Goblin. On top of that, the synth work is also very Goblin. The drums in this song serve as more of a backbone, with some very nice Neil Peart style drum fills.

-Digitalis bursts out of the gate with an amazing sequenced synth loop, while Patera is slowing building up his metronomic drumming, just waiting to run free beside the sequencer and swirling ambient synth. Slowly, this song becomes a symphony between the drumming and keyboards. It's quite nice.

-Legacy is a track that allows Steve to plays some out of this world bass lines. The song starts with a short and simple keyboard sequence that allows for the bass and drumming to build tension, until is finally breaks free. Along with Challenger Deep, this song would contend for most Goblin influence. The thing about Legacy is, this song reaches soaring heights of pure awesomeness that Goblin rarely ever reached at their best, and this is coming from a huge Goblin fan! This song is the perfect example of Zombi's sound.

-Surface To Air is arguably the best song that Zombi ever made. I know more than a couple people who think so. This song, like Digitalis, bursts out of the gate at full speed. This song features some John Carpenter sounding synth work, but jammed into a rocking song that only lets up in order to blow your mind again.

-Night Rhythms is probably my personal favorite when it comes to this album, and it is probably my favorite thing that Zombi has or ever will do. The song starts with swelling pad synth that sounds reminiscent to a late 70s Vangelis album. Then things take a dark turn when the keyboards start to build a ominous tension and Patera builds a driving tribal drum experience. The song makes you believe it's about to explode, but it only teases you before going into a section of the song that allows anyone familiar with Tangerine Dream to hear the major influence on these musicians. Again, they start to build with sequencers and drumming, when all of the sudden the bass comes slamming in adding a new dynamic as it builds to a dizzying battle between the drumming and driving bass line. We are then again led into a passage that reminds strongly of Pheadra era Tangerine Dream. And once again, the guys start building off of the sequencer until they are pounding into your head during the final moments of the song.

I truly believe this is a masterpiece of music, and that is why I am awarding this album 5 stars. If any Zombi album deserves that honor, Surface To Air is most definitely it.

Pittsburgh-based Zombi is the duo of Steve Moore on bass and keys and Anthony Paterra on drums and percussion. Although labeled as progressive electronic on this site, their sound to me is an even mix of space rock and symphonic prog, featuring spacey keyboard riffs and lush soundscapes lying atop a rhythm section comparable to Rush's Lee/Peart combo. Some have compared this to a mix of Tangerine Dream or Heldon with Rush. Another possible description might be a guitar-less instrumental version of Argentinian proggers Nexus with Geddy Lee making appearances here and there. The keyboard work isn't in the same league as a Rick Wakeman or Tony Banks, but it's remarkably melodic and spacey (and better than any solo album either of them have ever released). I can't think of many albums that invoke astronomical imagery in my head better than this one. An incredibly enjoyable listen! Easily one of my best purchases in the last few years and well deserving of masterpiece status.

"Escape Velocity" is the 4th full-length studio album by US electronic/ambient music act Zombi. The album was released through Relapse Records in May 2011. Relapse Records is mostly known for being the home of extreme metal acts of various flavours, but in recent years they´ve begun to sign artists from other genres too.

The music on "Escape Velocity" is a relatively simple type of electronic/ambient music. It´s repetitive and slow building. Often with longer parts with only a steady simple rythm figure and sequencing synths playing the same motif over and over again. Usually after a while a simple melody is played and sometimes more synth layers are put on top. The music is pleasant and easy on the ears but sometimes also a bit too close to sounding like muzak for comfort. Zombi tread a fine line here but thankfully they mostly keep on the right side of it.

The album is well produced and the musicianship is decent, but "Escape Velocity" is not exactly an album that blows me away. The tracks don´t really stick and it is in the songwriting department that the group could get better. It´s not a bad release either though and I do on occasion enjoy the album as background music, but to my ears this is not "listening" music. Still a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

Really unreal - must be a ZOMBI!

These two guys are obviously inspired by Tangerine Dream. Trouble is that whilst they may sound like TD, they completely fail to absorb the difference between layered synths, or the same that actually has substance to it - for good measure.

In my previous blurbs on their other albums I didn't spare this band. This time I can't be even that generous when it comes to this album. Here, I am confronted with extremely boring soundscapes. Somewhat reminiscent of very early TD with the dark, cosmic approach. So what's wrong here then? Simple. There is no trace of substance to any of these indulgent pieces that go nowhere.

OK, this is Zombi's first release and probably done when they were still adolescent, thinking that any sound may equal artistic merit. How on earth did they manage to get a contract for this?

I can relate to complex, or simplistic forms of expressions happily - as long as they have substance. This effort however, is as close to the pits as I've heard in a long time.

The most frustrating part is that every now and then, these cats come up with something very pleasing, almost by mistake. Not here though.

The US answer to Tangerine Dream?

This band seems to embrace some of TD's approach. Unfortunately, not of TD's better moments are being paid tribute to here. Short of the disastrous Jerome Froese Techno approach, Zombi are seemingly hooked on reproducing the urban psychosis that TD used as filler material only. This band seems to be hooked on some least memorable moments of that legendary German outfit whose material is at least 80% boring and rather uneventful.

Now, don't get me wrong, this album is largely enjoyable, but that doesn't mean that it's great in any sense. The addition of bass helps a bit, but not enough to lift the game as such. The tunes are not bad at all, but somehow remain undeveloped and largely unexciting, lacking conviction..

Track 1 and 5 are excellent in comparison, but these guys weren't born behind the Berlin Wall - like TD to have that real urge of wanting to reach out to the Universe whilst being surrounded by hostile forces.

A 3 star rating is appropriate here, perhaps 3.5 and one can't expect to have that emotional content, - one like myself who was born behind the Iron Curtain - to understand to any extent.

A reasonable effort by people who have had relatively little understanding to emotional content in musical expressions - due to lack of life experiences. I sincerely hope that in future they'll mature as they seem to have the the talent. And yes, the name ZOMBIE fails to please to any extent. Time to grow up?

What a let down!

I had reservations about the band's chosen name, but since I had the opportunity to hear this album, I put some time aside for it.

The first track just blew me away! A long piece inviting echoes of the better moments of early-'80s Tangerine Dream. Pure pleasure!

But my excitement was short lived.The second tune has cut my initial euphoria rather short. It's a piece studded with urban pace, a life I left behind decades ago for the peace and tranquility of living in a small fishing village on the East-Coast of Australia by the Pacific Ocean. Now, "pacific" is a term I can happily relate to, but this tune doesn't really fit the image. Still OK, but more unsettling than pleasing.

That urban psychosis gains even more momentum on the next tune, somewhat reminiscent of excesses by Robert Fripp of the Belew era, something I just can't warm to, but some people will no doubt love this piece. Not bad at all, but definitely not my preference, not even for a rainy day. Too repetitive and as such, boring.

Track four carries on in the TD vein - of the "spirited" filler material side. Loud, repetitive and - hardly better than a worn LP skipping back endlessly. One on certain substances may derive enjoyment from this noise, I am not one of those.

The fifth, last and longest track is another Fripp-like psychotic threadmill, laced with Jean- Michel Jarre doing Metal. Almost good, but misses the mark. Too frantic, too nervous, no room for such around my place.

These guys have potential, but for my taste apart from the first tune, the rest is forgettable - and very quickly before my walls would absorb too much of it. With the same effort, a masterpiece could have been delivered, but the end result here barely scrapes in for a 3 star rating.