Industrial music pioneers STATIC-X have unveiled the track “Z0mbie” from their forthcoming eighth studio album, “Project Regeneration: Vol. 2”
This LP, slated for release on January 26, 2024, features 14 fresh tracks containing the final vocal performances and musical compositions of the band’s founding vocalist, Wayne Static, as well as the original “Wisconsin Death Trip” lineup, including Tony Campos (bass), Koichi Fukuda (guitars), and Ken Jay (drums). The new album was produced by STATIC-X‘s current vocalist/guitarist Xer0 and mixed/mastered by the longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild.
The music video for “Z0mbie” is an animated creation by Makinita Silva, directed by STATIC-X‘s creative director, Edsel Dope, who is also widely speculated to be Xer0, the masked frontman of the band. The video takes viewers on a psychedelic, drug-induced journey filled with vibrant characters.
Last month, STATIC-X released a music video for “Stay Alive,” the first original track from “Project Regeneration: Vol. 2.” This song was one of the last original compositions Wayne Static worked on before his passing in 2014. The lyrics capture Wayne’s state of mind during that tragic period as he describes himself as a “professional addict” and screams the words: “I just need you to survive – Cut you up to stay alive.”
The track features Wayne Static on lead vocals, alongside the original “Wisconsin Death Trip” lineup of Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda, and Ken Jay. The video was directed by Dope and co-directed by Matt Zane. Outtakes from the Wayne Static “Assassins of Youth” video, originally directed by Zane, were incorporated to fully convey Wayne‘s dark vision for the song. According to the band’s former sound engineer Eddie Ortel, “Wayne was working on this track the night that he passed away.”
“We knew that if we were going to release this song, we wouldn’t be able to tip toe around this tragic subject,” says Campos. “The first draft of the video was really hard for all of us to watch, so we ended up removing many of the more graphic scenes. As dark as this piece of art may be, it is also a very honest representation of where Wayne was at during this controversial time. My hope is that when people see this, that they understand the cautionary tale that Wayne‘s life ultimately became and can avoid some of those pitfalls.”
“We always want to remember Wayne as the intelligent, funny, ‘Star Trek’-loving rock star,” adds Aimee Pittman, Wayne‘s younger sister. “It makes his family sad and angry to see Wayne depicting himself in a way that we understand to be a realistic portrayal of his life and the choices that ultimately ended it. If one person watching this video can benefit or make better choices related to drugs and alcohol, then we are grateful for the reminder.”
Following the success of their previous release, “Project Regeneration: Vol. 1,” and a sold-out “Rise Of The Machine” tour across multiple cities, STATIC-X has reinvigorated its fan base, bringing Evil Disco back to the forefront. The original lineup, featuring Campos, Fukuda, and Jay, backed by frontman Xer0, has demonstrated that STATIC-X is back and better than ever.
The “Rise Of The Machine” tour sold out 37 out of 42 dates and featured the largest stage production in STATIC-X‘s history. The band promises an even grander and more impressive production for “The Machine Killer” tour.