Zao - The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here

Band Members:
Daniel Weyandt - Vocals
Scott Mellinger - Guitar, Vocals
Martin Lunn - Bass
Jeff Gretz - Drums

Zaoonline.com
Myspace.com/Zao



Tracklisting:
1. Cancer Eater
2. Physician Heal Thyself
3. Everything You Love Will Soon Fly Away
4. It's Hard Not To Shake With A Gun In Your Mouth
5. Kingdom Of Theives
6. Killing Time 'Til Its Time To Die
7. There Is No Such Thing As Paranoia
8. Purdy Young Blondes With Lobotomy Eyes
9. My Love, My Love (We've Come Back From The Dead)
10. American Sheets On The Deathbed
11. A Last Time For Everything

When I first put this into my CD player, I was greeted with a soothing acoustic introduction in the form of title 'Cancer Eater.' I thought this would be a peek into what was to come on the album. At around 1 minute 10 into the song everything is turned around and the guitars kick in. I was beginning to like the song untill the ferious screaming vocals started. I can handle vocals like this if they are only in part of a song, but as I listened to the rest of the album, it became apparent that it was like this all the way through, except for a couple of lines in 'It's Hard To Shake With A Gun In Your Mouth.'
No doubt, there are plenty of people who like this sort of thing but to me, it's just a lot of painful noise. I like a song to have clear lyrics that I can hear and understand.

Each song is hard and powerful and if you ignore the vocals, the guitars, bass and drums do a pretty good job making it a little more bearable.

If this band can carry on inspiring the likes of UnderOath, Unearth, Fall Out Boy and Thrice then they should deffinately keep doing what they are doing and I wish them every success.

Rating: 2/10

Review by Cherry Pullinger.


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