Project Regeneration Volume 1＜限定盤/Blue & Green Swirl Vinyl＞

After a decade out of the spotlight, industrial metal stalwarts Static-X resurrected their late-90s evil disco sound with Project Regeneration, Vol. 1. Taking a trip down memory lane -- classic movie samples and all -- the effort cements the legacy of late frontman Wayne Static, who passed away in 2014, culling vocals from old recordings and transforming them as if the iconic vocalist were still present in the studio. Reunited and revived with renewed purpose, the bands original lineup -- guitarist Koichi Fukuda, bassist Tony Campos, and drummer Ken Jay -- recorded these tracks with producers Ulrich Wild and Edsel Dope, as well as mysterious replacement frontman Xer0 (whose vocals appear on half of the songs). The results are surprisingly great, harking back to their Wisconsin Death Trip days -- when the combination of caustic metal and danceable techno was at its peak -- and outshining much of their late-2000s output. For a band who had been out of the game for so long, theres a hunger to their approach and a tightness to the execution that surpasses that of a typical posthumous project that might rely on fan goodwill or nostalgia. As the urgent Terminator Oscillator buzzes with serrated riffs and swirling production effects, My Destruction pummels with a jackhammer pulse that devolves into mayhem as Xer0 delivers his convincing takes on Statics trademark growls and howls. Theres no time to rest as Static-X blast through a fresh installment in the fan-favorite Otsego series with the high-octane Otsego Placebo, an unhinged ride that sounds like Rammstein colliding with Rob Zombie. As far as Statics old vocals go, they easily transport listeners back to the bands peak period, elevating songs like Hollow, Worth Dyin For, and Bring You Down to Bled for Days levels of quality. Ministrys Al Jourgensen even makes an appearance on the expansive and moody closer, Dead Souls. Respectfully done, Project Regeneration, Vol. 1 is a fun and technically proficient reminder that Static-X were ahead of their time and perhaps a little underrated. Through this cathartic process, the album serves as a love letter to Static and their loyal fan base, a respectful tribute that both honors his legacy and adds an unexpected new chapter to their discography. ~ Neil Z. Yeung