John Tempesta Details the Disco and Bonham Roots of White Zombie’s “More Human Than Human”

John Tempesta recently sat down with Drumeo to dissect his drum part for White Zombie’s 1995 hit “More Human Than Human.” The session features a full playthrough of the track alongside interview segments where Tempesta explains the beat’s foundational influences.

He describes the core loop as a hybrid of 1970s disco rhythms and the style of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. “Rob loved that stuff, which actually gave it a lot more movement,” Tempesta said of the disco elements, noting the use of double hi-hats on the album. The breakdown reveals how a deliberately simple, grinding pattern became central to the song’s industrial metal drive.

Tempesta, who currently drums for The Cult and has played with Exodus and Testament, also shared that the kit used on the track was a basic five-piece setup. The video provides a clear look at the mechanical precision behind one of the genre’s most recognizable rhythms.