On 100 Favorites Lists

NEWS

11-16 Zao Writing New Album
05-02 Zao: New Album Streaming
03-30 New Zao song
01-23 Awake? Check out Zao.

» Edit Band Information
» Edit Albums

» Add a Review
» Add an Album
» Add MP3
» Add News

Zao
Metalcore

Thunderous, epic, and full of passion, Zao (Greek for “alive”) is driven by vocals that exorcise singer Daniel Weyandt's demons as if his life depended on the songs. His words reshape a personal history wrought with tragedy, suicide and death into beautiful musings that connected with their brutal honesty and naked self-observation. Mellinger, the band’s primary songwriter, adds melodic vocals as well.

Zao's storied career was documented on the two-disc The Lesser Lights Of Heaven DVD and the luminaries of today's heavy music scene are well aware of their debt to the band. ...read more

Thunderous, epic, and full of passion, Zao (Greek for “alive”) is driven by vocals that exorcise singer Daniel Weyandt's demons as if his life depended on the songs. His words reshape a personal history wrought with tragedy, suicide and death into beautiful musings that connected with their brutal honesty and naked self-observation. Mellinger, the band’s primary songwriter, adds melodic vocals as well.

Zao's storied career was documented on the two-disc The Lesser Lights Of Heaven DVD and the luminaries of today's heavy music scene are well aware of their debt to the band. Underoath and Unearth opened for Zao. Thrice, As I Lay Dying and Demon Hunter love Zao. Matt Heafy from Trivium joined the band onstage during a tour together.

Zao’s hometown of Greensburg, Pennsylvania isn't known for many things besides being in close proximity to the mall where George A. Romero filmed Dawn Of The Dead. And that isolation has allowed the band to steer clear of trends.

Zao’s original incarnation formed in the mid-90s with evangelical zeal. When that version of the band fell apart, Zao as it would come to change the course of heavy music was born. Recently hailed by Alternative Press as “one of the most important albums of 1998, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest took the conventions of hardcore and heavy metal and turned them upside down.

When Scott Mellinger joined Zao for the following year’s Liberate te ex Inferis, it began a song-writing partnership with Weyandt that persists to this day. Self-Titled was written and recorded by Dan, Scott and Jesse Smith (the only remaining holdover from the pre-B&F days) and featured a vast amount of experimentation with electronics, dark soundscapes, and melodic interludes. “Five Year Winter” continues to be one of Zao’s most popular songs in the live setting. The trio created Parade Of Chaos together as well, pushing the envelope even further.

Zao’s first album for Ferret Music, The Funeral of God, was recorded as a five-piece with producer Eric Rachel (Atreyu, Every Time I Die). The album became Zao’s biggest selling record and saw them receive their first airplay on MTV2 and Fuse and major press accolades.

After tours with bands like Bleeding Through and Dillinger Escape Plan, the band – now Dan, Scott, Marty Lunn (bass) and Jeff Gretz (drums) – recorded The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here with Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, Neurosis) manning the reel-to-reel. Next they hit the road with In Flames, Trivium, Demon Hunter & Throwdown.

Dan, Scott, Marty and Jeff reconvened for Awake?, their first album of new material in three years. The record was produced and engineered almost entirely by Scott in Pennsylvania, with Daniel Castleman and As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis producing drums in Southern California and handling the mixing. Longtime friend and Grammy nominated graphic designer Ryan Clark returned to handle the packaging, with some artwork from Dan’s close friend, Gabe Felice.

http://www.ferretstyle.com/artist.php?aid=27 « hide

Similar Bands: Training For Utopia, Living Sacrifice, Embodyment, Soul Embraced, Society's Finest

LPs
Awake?
2009

3
102 Votes
The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here
2006

3.5
221 Votes
The Funeral of God
2004

3.9
266 Votes
All Else Failed
2003

3.1
87 Votes
Parade of Chaos
2002

3.6
139 Votes
(Self-Titled)
2001

3.8
130 Votes
Liberate Te Ex Inferis
1999

4.2
204 Votes
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest
1998

4.2
204 Votes
The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation
1997

3.2
71 Votes
All Else Failed (Original)
1995

3
15 Votes
EPs
Zao/Training for Utopia Split
1998

4
6 Votes
Sustained
1995

Author
1994

Live Albums
The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD
2005

4.5
2 Votes
Compilations
Legendary
2004

3.8
58 Votes

Music Lists
05.18.13  Full-lengths Ranked : Zao05.17.13  Top 50 Albums
05.15.13  Settlers Of Catan05.05.13  Zao Ranked
04.19.13  3/4 Of The Way There...04.07.13  Getting Up Early Tomorrow
03.31.13  Christians Are Cool03.24.13  More Metal Than Ya Momma's Black Ke
03.23.13  Game Of Thrones Characters Vs Lotr 03.20.13  Welp It's That Time Of Year
02.18.13  500 Ratings. Achievement Unlocked.02.18.13  Middle School Jams
02.17.13  Music I'm Into02.14.13  Fluts Been Here A Year List
02.13.13  High School Jams Pt. 102.01.13  5 More Best Christian Metal Albums
01.29.13  Mau5 Recent Digs01.27.13  First Night Back At College
01.17.13  Top Ten Metalcore Albums Of The 21s01.09.13  70 Great Hardcore Albums
» More Lists (215)

Contributors: mttgry, SadAndHolyGlow, guitarnater, Ponton, ninjuice, finnguitarist, weerez1391, morrissey, finnmusician, Arrakakaka, DieDead, InFiction, Zizzer,

FAQ // STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // SITE FORUM // CONTACT US

Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Site Copyright 2005-2013 Sputnikmusic.com
All Album Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Privacy Policy

IndieClick Music Network