CD REVIEW: ZAO "FUNERAL OF GOD"

Zao
Funeral of God
Ferret Music
http://www.zaoonline.com/

Zao have long been innovators in the metalcore scene, since inception. What they bring to the forefront in this offering is a mixture of abstract guitars, almost non-defined bass guitar, kit shredding drums, and a slight departure from the vocal spewing a fan may be used to hearing from the band. Just the title alone on this disc is awe-striking; a weighty counterpart to the classic “Liberate Te Ex Inferis”. As difficult as it is to say this, Zao may have struggled with the sound and content on this disc. Composition-wise, the collection of songs sound like a fight between “Liberate…” and “Parade of Chaos”; an intermediate yet difficult balance to strike. A thick heaviness is more pervasive in some tracks than others, while still maintaining and enveloping the straightforward unpolished alternative metal/rock flavor of “Parade…”

When all is said and done, Zao remains consistent in producing the steel coated metal roots that hang around for years to come with such thirst inducing tracks as: The Rising End (The First Prophecy); The Last Revelation (The Last Prophecy); and Truly, Truly, This Is The End.

Thanks to Ferret Music!