I was given the choice to review the new Rob Zombie album, The Great Satan, and while I haven’t been impressed with his solo output since The Sinister Urge, I decided to do it. My pre-conceived notions of it being just an album on which to tour were at the front of my mind, but others who started to listen on the Teeth of the Divine staff informed me I would probably like it, even stating some of the songs have thrash and death metal elements.

After hearing the first couple of tracks, “F.T.W 1984” and “Tarantula” respectively, I noticed some actual riffs, reminding me of those early years. I researched on my own and found Riggs, the original guitarist from the first two albums, returned in 2023, and it all started to make sense. It shows mostly in the endings of those two tracks, including the hint of a breakdown in the former.

To go further in depth on “Tarantula,” it’s what one could call a metal song with its main riff, but also some double bass interspersed throughout. There’s a synchronized synth and guitar section not unlike something Children of Bodom would have written on Hate Crew Deathroll. I really wish the band had expanded on that heavy ass riff at the end, though.

I’m not a kid anymore as I was when Hellbilly Deluxe was released, so the spooky elements don’t have the same impact, but riffs never go out of style, such as in “Punks and Demons.” It’s a banger, with a focus on the guitar. There’s still the Zombie weirdness you expect from one of his efforts, but it’s mostly relegated to the background.

Directly afterwards is “The Devilman,” which is close to a plodding sludge track. It doesn’t even clock in at four minutes, so there’s not much time for that, but it’s one of the heaviest riffs. There’s even a slightly buried guitar lead.

If you’re looking for something quicker, check the short “The Black Scorpion.” It’s a crossover punk/thrash track with a hefty, fast riff. The cymbal crashing in the chorus adds to its urgency. The guitar sounds great with a quick solo as well.

After listening several times, the only downside to the entire album is that the production is a little thin. It’s not weak to a distracting degree but certainly takes away from some of the heavier moments, rendering them less impactful. This is certainly nitpicky because I’d venture a guess that most people won’t even notice.

I must say I’m impressed. If someone had told me I would thoroughly enjoy a Rob Zombie album in 2026, I would have laughed at them. I always enjoy his releases to an extent, but this is on another level. The fact that the return of Riggs and Blasko returned should have been something covered in the press release. Instead, there was a section regarding Rob’s films, which, in my view, is completely irrelevant. It’s clear that the returning members reinvigorated the entire band, and The Great Satan is the stunning result.

Don’t sleep on this like I did at first, just expecting it to be a phoned-in latter career era reason to tour album. If you liked the “dangerous” Rob Zombie from the beginning, you absolutely must check this out.

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