The latest album that Zao has stirred up is a thick and hearty feast for all of you who love Deathcore. The concept behind this album is awesome and quite original. It digs deep into some of the ideas from Dante's Inferno. There are ten songs in five groups; the five groups represent the five circles of hell. These songs are dark and stay right with the theme, while the lyrics are descriptive and foreboding adding to the sense of helplessness and pain.
This album successfully shows that no one can save themselves from hell, but it fails to say that Jesus can. Perhaps they wanted to stay within the concept of the album, but this may be art taken too far (a controversial topic). They missed their chance to point towards hope in "Desire the End":
I desire the end
The touch of Armageddon
This world encased in flames...
Bodies lie beneath fallen kingdoms...
...I walk on fallen kingdoms...
...I desire the end
...I desire the new beginning.
After reading the band members' "thank-you's," I could tell they desire Jesus Christ and that they have found "The New Beginning" but wish their lyrics said the same. This album is awesome. It has the ferocity to make people's heads turn; hopefully hearts will turn as well.
Without a doubt, these guys are good; you just have to take the time to find the beauty in the storm. The vocals are full, the drumming is more than ample, and the riffage is creative. I usually only like a couple of riffs in a whole album, but Zao really hides good riffs in each song. Overall, I like this album a lot due to the expressive lyrics, the intense music, and the creative style. For an easy example of their creative style look no further than "Skin Like Winter." In this song they add clapping to their already creative beats. Whoever heard of clapping to the beat in this kind of music? It's something new and they weave it in well.
I do not know how well this album will be received in these days of instant gratification and bubble gum pop. But I, for one, really like it.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Ryan LittleThis disc was recorded way back in 1999, when Zao had a five-member roster. The combination of the riffs, drumming, and lyrical meaning is extremely potent. Classic Zao, no doubt about it. The presence of Rob and Russ seems to provide some musical mobility, but at the same time it's amazing that their musical integrity has both kept its quality and gotten better since this cd. Here we have a disc…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Josh MarihughThe first thing that grabs you about the new Zao disc, other than the huge eye on the front, is the Latin title. Now take a look at the back; the disc is divided into five movements. Has Zao gone all epic on us, a la Saviour Machine? No, although their newest album has taken a decided turn for the darker, compared to their earlier work. Where Zao's first Solid State disc, The Splinter Shards the…HM Magazine #79Reviewed by David BixlerI am going to admit something. I absolutely love Zao, and they have remained one of my favorite bands, even through various lineup changes and a quite extreme musical progression. And yet, I wasn't sure that this album would deliver like their last release, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest, did. After listening to this disc several times though, that fear was quashed. This CD sees Zao cover even…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by John SantGet ready. This may be one of the heaviest albums to come out in the past few years, and it will shock you. ZAO has carried the Blood and Fire sound to a whole new level with Liberate Te Ex Inferis, a refined, brooding approach to metalcore. The album is divided into five circles of Hell (Limbo, The Lustful, The Gluttonous, The Hoarders and The Spendthrifts, The Wrathful) with two songs in each…Exit Zine 1999Reviewed by John SantGet ready. This may be one of the heaviest albums to come out in the past few years. Zao has carried the Blood and Fire sound to a whole new level with Liberate Te Ex Inferis, a refined, brooding approach to metalcore. The album is divided into five circles of Hell (Limbo, The Lustful, The Gluttonous, The Hoarders and The Spendthrifts, The Wrathful) with two songs in each circle. Each song in one…Decapolis 1999Reviewed by ConradI thought I would hate this album considering it's genre - hard core/metal, and considering the vocals - death screaming. But, to me, this album did everything that a band in this style of music should do. First off this album is most embodied by the movie "Event Horizon." There are a few well chosen and well placed clips of the movie, at the beginning, middle and end, making it seem like this…Decapolis 1999Reviewed by Tom BastianI've never really been into this band or their style of music. So with that said I was actually kind of impressed, by the music that is. The vocals are a whole other story. Well I guess I will start out with the vocals. I don't think I understood a single word that was said, screamed, yelped, or forced out. The best analogy I could think of would be, if Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe had a dark…Art for the Ears 1999Reviewed by Marco PovervestThis is the third record from metalcore masters Zao. Their previous album Where Blood And Fire Bring Rest was one of my favorite extreme music albums of 1998. That album featured guitarist Brett Detar who switched over to The Juliana Theory. I regret that because his playing on the Zao album was inspiring. To replace him, the band has now two guitarists. Surprisingly, the sound of Zao hasn't…Similar sounding releases
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