Die Slowly (Again): Another White Zombie Anthology Box Set?

I had laughed, but only for a second: A few weeks ago, in my inbox arrived a friendly, informal email displaying the track list of Rob Zombie’s upcoming album, The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser, and bearing the subject “Well, the meth has finally taken Rob Zombie.” Agreed, those insane song titles — and the album’s WTF-ever title itself — might seem like a wink from Zombie to fellow users of weird drugs or just the madness of an addled mind. But I doubt it: Zombie always struck me as born weird. Bonkers, not drugged to the point of insanity. Thusly, my music industry friend’s email missed the mark.

And though my personal “high-dar” (like “gay-dar”) doesn’t register much activity in Rob Zombie, I now am confused by a forthcoming anthology box set. Before their 1993 breakthrough via La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One, his old band White Zombie released a couple albums and a few shorter plays — all of which appeared on a 2008 box set, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie. Now competing with that is It Came From N.Y.C., White Zombie’s out-of-print beginnings packed in a fancy box set (out June 3) at $125 for colored 5LP and $40 for 3CD.

Remastering is credited to White Zombie guitarist J. Yuenger, and the set is accompanied by a 108-page book with notes by fancy Grayson Currin (Pitchfork) — but otherwise it’s redundant to LSCL, which appears to be quite available here in 2016. Is there a loophole that allows Rob’s former bandmates to peddle their own vinyl remasters of White Zombie’s unsuccessful early stuff? Might it have been a bit tardy even in 2008 when all parties were already on the wane? Have they simply forgotten about the other box? Who’s buying this new one? Isn’t Rob filing for an injunction right this second? Or is he blasted on drugs?

Pre-order White Zombie’s It Came From N.Y.C. box set via Numero Group here.