Back in late 2014, the world abruptly lost Wayne Static. I look back to how privileged I felt to see him for my very first and unfortunately last time at Vinyl, when Hard Rock was still a thing in Vegas. I had JUST got into the evil disco nu-metal that was Static-X and I couldn’t get enough. It was beyond unfair. It was a forced reality that we would never get new music again….or would we?
After Wayne.
Fast forward to 2018, a new project was being formed by his former Static-X band members; bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuda, and drummer Ken Jay. A ‘Project Regeneration’ if you will.
Wayne Static and his band were being resurrected from the dead after 20 long years! Edsel Dope was rumored to be the new frontman, Xer0 (you can totally tell it’s him on the new album). They also toured in 2019, which I unfortunately had to miss, being on a different continent.
2019 Tour – House of Blues Las Vegas.
Photos from Static-X’s 2019 tour by Stephy Hayward for ZRockR Magazine.
The Album.
After 11 years since Static’s disbandment, Project Regeneration Vol 1 was released on July 10, 2020.
This albums includes old demos from Wayne Static that were resurrected into amazing electric filled, melodic, synth-y, raw distorted, psycho tantrum pieces that made you non-stop dance while cleaning your house pregnant during lockdown.
With how shitty the world is going, it was nice to have an album that takes you back to a simpler time which included Wayne being alive. You felt his presence throughout the entire album’s existence.
The production and mixing was comparable to their first and best album Wisconsin Death Trip. I was not expecting to be THIS impressed by the band’s hard work. I was a true skeptic, but then again only one of Static X’s albums disappointed me.
If you listen carefully, you can tell which songs have only Wayne, Wayne and Xer0, and just Xero. My favorite songs off the album are “Ostego Placebo, “My Destruction”, and “Terminator Oscillator”.
Closing out the album is a ballad called “Dead Souls” which was an emotional ride thinking of the longing potential of Wayne that could have been.
Track List.
1. Regeneration
2. Hollow (Project Regeneration)
3. Worth Dyin For
4. Terminator Oscillator
5. All These Years
6. Accelerate
7. Bring You Down (Project Regeneration)
8. My Destruction
9. Something Of My Own (Project Regeneration)
10. Otsego Placebo
11. Follow
12. Dead Souls
All In All.
If you are a diehard Static-X or Wayne fan, or just need some music to run on your treadmill for 5 minutes, what are you holding off on? This album will take you back years so you can experience some musical metal euphoria! It truly holds to its authentic evil disco roots (with some upgrades). If you need some visual assurance first, check out the music videos for “Hollow”, “All These Years”, and “Bring You Down”.
Get this album, I mean it.
P.S.
I hope concerts come back next year because then I can show Xer0 my sweet “cleaning the house while profusely sweating” moves.
8.5/10 rating