I think this 4 song split was done more for fun than anything and fun they had. I would have to say that the TFU sounds almost exactly like stuff on their last release Plastic Soul Impalement. Zao on the other hand has further escaped into the metal realm than even on Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest. Operand and Police John Police Red are characteristic TFU songs, very emotional vocals with amplitude offbeat jazz influenced percussion. The closest band I have heard to the style TFU displays is SEASON TO RISK, though TFU is heavier, sometimes even on the brink of confusing.
Zao's Skin Like Winter begins with a FU MANCHU/SABBATH groove. Plenty of the tweaky guitars used on the LP. The singer of TFU hops over and sings on this as well. Walk on by walk on me- plenty of doom elements here mingled with some severe, black, raspy blast. This speeds up though (for you doom haters) by lashing out full HxC/metal torque.
For 5 bucks I'd have to say it's a good deal, though 4 songs go quick.
7/10
Other Staff Member Ratings
Grindboy: 9/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #74Reviewed by Doug Van PeltA short and sweet ride through modern metal is what you get here with four songs (two each by both bands). Training For Utopia pounds away with a dynamic mix of instrumental jamming with distorted hardcore screaming and melodic vocal phrasing. Zao is not too far off on the musical side, but their vocals marry the shrill screaming/shrieking of black metal. These two bands, which call themselves…Dead Zine 1998Reviewed by dEaDsMilEThe only thing I was disappointed with was the fact that there are only four songs. The two Training for Utopia tracks are in my opinion, the band's best material to this date. This sounds nothing like the full length Plastic Soul Impalement. I interviewed Don and he said that the band was not pleased with the vocals on the full length and that they were going back to their original vocal style…More from Training for Utopia
More from Zao
2003Legendary
1998Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest
1997The Splinter Shards The Birth Of Separation
1999Liberate Te Ex Inferis
1996Treadwater...
2001(Self-Titled)
