STATIC-X Shares 'Z0mbie' Song From Upcoming 'Project Regeneration: Vol. 2' Album

Industrial music icons STATIC-X have released the song "Z0mbie" from their upcoming eighth studio album, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Due on January 26, 2024, the LP is a collection of 14 brand-new tracks that contain the final vocal performances and musical compositions of founding vocalist Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup featuring 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 longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild.

The "Z0mbie" music video is an animated clip created by Makinita Silva and directed by STATIC-X creative director Edsel Dope — who is also widely believed to be Xer0, the masked current frontman of STATIC-X. The video takes the viewer on a psychedelic, drug-fueled sex ride, featuring a host of colorful characters.

"Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" track listing:

01. Stay Alive
02. Z0mbie
03. Jic-Boi
04. Black Star
05. Kamikaze
06. No Hope
07. Take Control
08. Tone
09. Run For Your Life
10. Dark Place
11. Disco Otsego
12. From Heaven
13. Terrible Lie (bonus track)
14. Grover Yoda Data 14 (bonus track)

Last month, STATIC-X released a music video for the first original track from "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". The song "Stay Alive" is one of the last original compositions Wayne Static was working on before his passing in 2014. The song's lyrics echo Wayne's state of mind during this tragic time, as he professes himself to be 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, along with 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 added to help fully portray Wayne's disturbing 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."

With the success of their last release, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 1", and on the heels of their recent multiple-city sold-out "Rise Of The Machine" tour, STATIC-X have reinvigorated their fan base and brought Evil Disco back to the masses. The original lineup of Campos, Fukuda and Jay backed by frontman Xer0 have proven that STATIC-X is back and better than ever.

The "Rise Of The Machine" tour sold out 37 of its 42 dates, while showcasing the largest stage production that STATIC-X has ever put together. The band promises that the production on "The Machine Killer" tour is going to be even bigger and more impressive this time around.

Continuing to create new music, STATIC-X announced "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" and unveiled the first single from that album, a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS classic "Terrible Lie".

All of the music associated with "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is the result of collaborations between the four founding members along with their new vocalist/guitarist/producer Xer0. No additional guests appear on the album and there were no outside contributions to the songwriting, musical compositions, or the performances on "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Between the two releases, STATIC-X fans around the globe have been treated to over two dozen brand new songs — most of which feature Static on lead vocals — and all released after his untimely passing.

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer