22 comments
Post CommentI will never understand how this band can still be called zao with no original members. At what point do you, as a band, realize you have no idea how to play the first 3-4 records. Jokes.
The line-up has transformed over 20 years. No, there are no original member left, haven't been for years. But to act like they aren't still ZAO is crazy. You obviously have NO CLUE what you are talking about.
Um.. they actually did make the same album twice. With a different singer, but still. Remember All Else Failed?
every Zao album has been good, including pre-Dan
it is crazy to think you can take the name of a band no one has been in since day one. its basically a zao cover band, assuming they even play songs none of them had a stake in. they are all mark wahlberg.
Well, Jesse (the "original" member) should have changed the name when everyone quit around him and he brought in dan and russ (who are still there now) and scott followed shortly after. In the grand scheme of things, this version of Zao has retained everyone but the drummer/bassist, which is fairly standard, from that point on.
iron maiden had original members when Dickinson left. we saw how that went. getting tied up with "original line up" stuff is nothing but some sort of nostalgia, and I am willing to bet most of the people that bitch the most about it even saw the original line up or heard the band until Blood and Fire or Liberate
You're argument is debunked by emmure. It's just Frankie and the glass cloud extravaganza.
They actually made the same record twice (All Else Failed). But everything else is spot on.
Great review. Long time fan of the band. I only heard two great tracks earlier in the year. Dan is one of my favorite vocalists.
Dan's vocals are sick, I always felt Scott Mellingers clean vocals were unnecessary, I think they are buried more in this mix though so he doesn't ruin as many good songs.
Zao is DAN WEYANDT, RUSS COGDELL, and JESSE SMITH, and it always will be. Dan was the voice, Russ was the sound, and Jesse was the spirit. It was with that lineup that they found their own craft and stood out in the world of music. I'm actually excited to check this record out.
except russ has barely written anything and some of their best material (Funeral, Fear and this) has been without jesse
Brett Detar was the genius that helped forge their new sound. 20 years ago. He left after one album but that album, WBaFBR is their best "new" album.
Funeral of God is the last album I loved of theirs. This one has been on repeat almost nonstop since Friday. Welcome back. -DM