Diversity is the kindest word I can come up with for this album. Yes the band is nothing if not diverse. Sometimes diversity creates good, sometimes it even creates greatness. Andy Kaufman was diverse...and many see him as a genius and others as a complete jerk. I honestly feel with this album you are going to find very similar variances. For me the diversity of this album became annoyance. CDs are VERY few and far between that give me a headache listening to them, but Zao's new self titled did just that...on three different occasions.
There are a couple of points on this album where we see some similarities to a heavy brutal band we once knew. Those in particular are 'Tool To Scream' which is a fantastic song once it gets going, I love the imagery used to really drive home the abortion issue in a new light. That along with the opening track 'Five Year Winter' are in my opinion the only reasons to even bother listening to this album.
Yes Jesse Smith is on drums but he is also credited with 'programming additional percussion' and lemme tell you the machine he used is a pretty poor sounding one. Not just clicky, but it sounds like it was programmed not to come as close to a real drum sound as possible but more likely to sound as least like a real drum as possible. Keep in mind I'm the one who doesn't mind a drum machine if it's programmed well...in this case it's not.
Dan's vocals are as sick, scary and passionate as ever, but with the music not supporting this style it comes off as a pretty bad mixture. Then there is the chorus to the song 'The End of His World' which is done in a rapcore style, and again completely is out of place here.
Lyrically we see more of what Zao has done on their past couple of albums which to my tastes are not up to par. Convoluted images that twist this way and that and at the end of the song could have a different meaning per person listening to it. I don't see much gospel of Christ being presented here.
I know a lot of you will probably be firing up the flame throwers and loading your e-mail programs long before you get to this sentence and that's fine. Hey I'm probably Zao's longest running fan, having pre-ordered my copy of All Else Failed from Steadfast records many months before it was completed. I have enjoyed the music of every Zao album up until this one. The lyrics are an issue I know are not going to go away, but hey I gotta call them as I see them so to speak. Bottom line folks, even if you go out and rave over this album initially, I predict in 4 or 5 months time you'll find yourself going to one of their older albums more frequently when you want a Zao fix.
4/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #88Reviewed by Jason DoddAt press time ('cause you always should include a space-time disclaimer when you are about to reference a member of ZAO in any context), Self-Titled exists as the last vocal testament of Dan Weyandt. After challenging our ability to accept sonic change with his debut on Where Blood & Fire Brings Rest, mesmerizing and winning us over on ensuing tours, and then further challenging us spiritually…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by Nate BaileyIn a genre that is full of copy cat bands that just take up space, Zao has continually moved in the direction of their choice and turned their back to the rest of the scene. This new release we see Zao adding so many new aspects to their music that you can tell without a doubt they are progressing musically. Using their trademark metal-core foundation, Zao has always been able to explode with…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by JamesOkay, first of all these guys scared me while I was driving my car in broad daylight. Now, with that said, I'm going to come clean on something. I have never been a Zao fan. But after reviewing this album, I have a much better opinion of them. It's difficult to miss the artistry on this one. The fact that this collection of tunes doesn't constantly show off the size of the drummer's calves (i.e.…Art for the Ears 2001Reviewed by Marco PovervestThe last album in their contract with Solid State Records is self-titled. Does this mean they perceive this as a new start? Or were they inspired by other bands that didn't give titles to their fourth releases (like Led Zeppelin and King's X)? I don't know. What I do know is that the first track, 5 Years Winter, sounds more metal than this band has ever sounded. But very heavy with the harsh…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Michial FarmerZao is hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest things ever to hit the Christian music ghetto, but I'm having difficulty finding the appeal. To me, they sound remarkably similar to every other tortured-animal-screaming hardcore band, and the supposedly brilliant lyrics penned by frontman Dan Weyandt are lost on me because my promo copy does not include a lyric sheet. That's not to…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Josh SpencerZao's fifth full-length album finds them further down the path of exploration. Last time they visited the bowels of hell; now they've entered a strange new land beyond hardcore hades. It's not as abrasive and corrosive as Liberate te ex Inferis, with more atmospheric textures via acoustic guitars, whispering vocals, digitized accents on percussion, and ambient electronica sections punctuating…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by thOrNThe mighty ZAO is back. Word is that this is their final album. The end of the soap opera called ZAO is upon us. Don't get me wrong I like this band a lot, I just think it's rather funny the member changes and all. It's worse than Tourniquet. Only ZAO stayed good. Ok well on with the review. I really like this album, it's a great solid swansong. You can tell they have matured over the years. The…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by GrindboySelf-titled (even the name is catchy!) starts off with "Five Year Winter", which reminds me a little of "Savannah" from Liberate.... The song keeps moving and stays aggressive the whole way through. If the rest of the disc stayed like this I'd be one happy listener, but unfortunately it has nowhere to go but down. It picks up again for the final track "At Zero", a blistering tune that just won't…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by FletchThis album was thought to be titled Alive is Dead for a while. However, it appears now that it will just be self titled. Either way, you're still in for a metal eruption. I think this album will disappoint some and enthrall others. There are many surprises. I think that this album bears more similarities to Liberate Te Ex Inferis than Liberate had with Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest. There are…Similar sounding releases
1999ExtolMesmerized
1997Screams of ChaosGenetic War
2005Living SacrificeIn Memoriam
1999Eternal DecisionGhost in the Machine
1994GodfleshSelfless
2002Acoustic TormentSchwarzwaldMore from Zao
1996All Else Failed
2004The Funeral of God
2003Legendary
1998Split EP
1999Liberate Te Ex Inferis
1996Treadwater...
