The 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 growling screams of Dan Weyandt and even a short guitar solo. The second half is quite speedy. The next track, Alive Is Dead, is slow and appears to be instrumental. And then the third track starts quite mellow. This sounds like a new Zao has arisen with a self-titled marking its new start. But that's not really true. This third track simply explodes after the intro is over. What you can hear on this release is the heavy and inventive riffing as we have come to expect from this band. But one thing is true: The self-titled is all about variety. There's even an acoustic song on it and you can hear some rapping in another track. The core of Zao, however, is still the amalgam of metal and hardcore though there's more metal in the mix. The riffing is sometimes inventive and the structures are not easy digestible, ever riff-shifting. The production is superb sound-wise though I'm not sure if I like this album yet. I've gotta chew on this one a little longer....Out on February 27th 2001.
Other coverage for this album
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.…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…Similar sounding releases
1999ExtolMesmerized
1997Screams of ChaosGenetic War
2005Living SacrificeIn Memoriam
1999Eternal DecisionGhost in the Machine
1994GodfleshSelfless
2002Acoustic TormentSchwarzwaldMore from Zao
1995The Tie That Binds
1998Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest
1996Treadwater...
1996All Else Failed
1998Split
1999Liberate Te Ex Inferis
