Search - Zao :: Fear Is What Keeps Us Here (Bonus Dvd)

It's a matter of taste

J. Dimmick | Indianapolis | 08/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With their newest album, one of the most influential metalcore bands of the entire underground scene has again surprised its fans and foes alike. Far more brutal than their preceding concept album, Zao has shed the restrictions of what a studio album is "supposed" to sound like and created a profoundly different sound for themselves that draws a line in the sand that divides their listeners: those that like it, and those that don't. While I am of the opinion that this is a fantastic record, it is important to know a few things before listening to it for the first time.



The most obvious change in this album is the massive drop in production from The Funeral of God. Recorded with Steve Albini (of Pixies and Neurosis fame) without using computerized effects or balancing, the sound and feel of the album are much more gritty and raw than FoG. Going right along with this is the change in vocalist Dan Weyandt's sound - for this album, his voice was not captured directly from the microphone. Rather, the microphone feed went into an amplifier, and the sound from that was then fed onto the recording tape; in layman's terms, this means that the vocals on this album sound much more like the vocals from Zao's live show than any other Zao album to date. Inevitably, this produces a split between those who love the heavier, grittier, more raw sound and those who prefer the more produced sound that is heard on the Funeral of God. Lastly, one thing that can hardly be complained about (even by those who don't particularly like the album) is the amazing showing from Jeff Gretz, Zao's new drummer. His pounding rhythms add a whole new dimension to the sound of the band and are easily one of the best things that has happened to Zao since the loss of Jesse Smith.



Therefore, it is almost impossible to say for sure just from reviews whether or not you will like the album. If you enjoy Zao's live show and were a fan of Liberate Te Ex Inferis, then there is a very good chance that you will love the new album. If you'd rather listen to the more polished sounds of Funeral of God and Self-Titled, then perhaps you might want to pass on this album. What is unmistakeable and unchangeable, however, is the unbridled passion and talent of this long-lived, genre-defining band, so if you are even slightly excited by the prospect of an exciting new direction for this amazing band, do yourself a favor and give it a spin."

Indescribable....

xxxfreekxxx | San Diego,Ca | 06/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard to write a proper review for this album. With every album, Zao puts their "legacy" on the line and the outcome is always not quite what you expect. I love all the past Zao albums, but i can say they have surprised me before with albums that don't make perfect sense the first time around (Parade of Chaos/ All Else Failed re-record). But with this album I knew immediately that it was amazing. Zao went the opposite direction of modern metal. The trend now is to tweak every digital nob in order to create a "perfect" sounding record. As you already know, Zao enlisted Steve Albini (or he enlisted them) to record this album. The results are incredible. Not only did Zao write some incredible music, but the analog recording style Albini is known for created an amazing album. And what perfect timing. I thought my head would explode if i heard another faux-metal emo chugga-chugga-eek-eek raaaaarrrr *emo croon* band. This album is done punk rock style in the spirit of bands like Motorhead, Venom and Slayer. The album is fast, brutal and insanely heavy. Just listen to "Physician Heal Thyself." Tech-thrash with a super sludgy ending and Dan's best pig squeeling yet. I'm not going to do a track by track analysis because it's not necessary. This album kills. There is no point to compare this to their other records. Just buy it and be amazed."

Slammin'

Daniel J. Watton | 07/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Oh man, this goes out to D. Cox "guitarmagic101"'s post, the production on this album is so freakin good, man I love it for that fact alone. Just goes to show its a matter of taste. I am not some uninformed newb either, I do lots of audio engineering/production. The lo-fi sound is so fierce and that kick drum is very thumpy. Unlike, all this cute/snappy/spikey/small weak drum production that is produced on %90 of rock albums.



FIERCE. Good album."