The Zombies are still hungry

Being a proponent of rock music in the 60’s and creating Rolling Stone’s 100^th greatest album of all time is no small feat. 50 years later, British psychedelic rockers, The Zombies, are still going without any signs of stopping. It’s been awhile since the immaculate and intoxicating sound maintained in Odessey and Oracle (1968), and although the two cornerstones, Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, remain, much has inevitably changed. Yet, the skillful instrumentation and stellar vocals that encompass the Zombies are present on their newest installment, Still Got That Hunger, released October 9^th.

Since their formation in the 60’s, it’s been a well know fact that the Zombies have an inventive sound, rooted in a psychedelic blues-rock, riddled with flavors of jazz’s styling. With their 2011 album, Breathe Out, Breathe In, fans saw The Zombies, for the most part, step away from their familiar repertoire and experiment with a more contemporary-rock palate. Their newest album marks a move toward an even heavier blues-rock influence. Still Got That Hunger, featuring original singer, Blunstone and original keyboardist, Argent, takes the bands original vision a step further with a renewed attitude.

The album opens with “Moving On,” a forceful blues track fueled by towering guitar riffs and tumbling piano hooks, a fitting start to set the scene. “Chasing the Past,” does exactly what the name implies, bringing listeners back to the beginning with a track that is evocative of an earlier ‘Zombies. “New York” is an anthemic tribute to a city where the band first started their musical conquest of the West, and a shout-out to big names such as Miles Davis and Elvis Presley. Still Got That Hunger seems to utilize the guitar more as a focal point than albums in the past, which seem to almost exclusively use Argent’s keyboards as a lead.

The new version of the Zombies is, as expected, of a different breed than the classic 60’s rock band that the sound of the era was cultivated by. Yet, their newest album reminds us of the talent held by the minds that brought us Odessey and Oracle, and their brilliance shines through.