This record's signature all-out heaviness will sound immediately familiar to anyone who has followed the band's convoluted, controversial, and altogether exciting career. Thunderous, epic, and full of passion, Zao (Greek f... more »or "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. They've toured with Bleeding Through and Dillinger Escape Plan, and next hit the road with In Flames, Trivium, Demon Hunter, and Throwdown.« less
This record's signature all-out heaviness will sound immediately familiar to anyone who has followed the band's convoluted, controversial, and altogether exciting career. 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. They've toured with Bleeding Through and Dillinger Escape Plan, and next hit the road with In Flames, Trivium, Demon Hunter, and Throwdown.
CD Reviews
Zao is still the kings of metalcore
king beagley | warsaw, in usa | 06/03/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"where do I start? this is the 3rd Zao album that I have purchased and I have yet to be disappointed. it is still extreme, although they added some clean singing to it. I only have one minor complaint and that is the booklet was not stapled together. this flaw didn't keep me from enjoying the music though. a good five star release."
Very Good
Milton Burrow | 05/08/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After making their most intense and harsh album, Zao disappeared for a while. Awake? marks their return with a friendlier album that still remains haunting. The music is somewhere in between the ferocity of The Fear is What Keeps Us Here and the melody of The Funeral of God. There is an acoustic ending track which trounces the one on Parade of Chaos. If you like Zao, you will be delighted by this album. If you are expecting another Fear... you will be disappointed."
Pre-2000 Anyone?
Josiah D. Wilson | 10/16/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Decent album, but I must admit I miss the pre-2000 Zao. To me it seems they changed their direction too much with the release of their Self-Titled album.
I've been following Zao since the Splinter Shards days, and even started a music venue with the hopes of having Zao, one day, come and play a show (we ended up having them play three times actually). To me, the best albums were Liberate Te Ex Inferis and Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest. Those two albums alone completely changed the way we know hardcore music. But since then, I feel the band has changed direction too much. Is it because of their constant line-up changes? Or maybe it's because Daniel is getting burned out?
I still enjoy every Zao album, and with each upcoming release I get excited in anticipation for them. But, maybe I'm hoping for something that will never return.
But I digress, this is indeed a good album, and it's great to hear Zao is back at it again. However, I would say, fans of Parade of Chaos will enjoy this album, but fans of Liberate and Blood and Fire might not. I would suggest listening to the full album [...] before buying it."
AWAKE? Alive! and Well!
Drew E. Lyons | Dallas, TX USA | 07/24/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Zao has been pioneering metal and (just as importantly) doing their own thing in one incarnation or another for 14 or so years. Awake? is the most recent album from an older Zao, the first one released without a tour to back it up. To me, that's a pretty bold move by the band and the label(Ferret Records) since it relies on Zao's pre-existing fan base. Enough about all that.
I have and enjoy something about all of Zao's albums, and AWAKE? is no different! I love the higher sound quality(though "The Fear"s raw style was awesome too) and, in all honesty, Scott's clean vocals aren't really that new to Zao songs (A Parade of Chaos and The Funeral of God feature him plenty) and they just sound great here.
Although the album doesn't stick to me as well as some of the others, it is its own creature and is a fantastic one at that. The fact that this album exists is a testament of Zao's dedication to music, and the fans. This fan is not disappointed!"
It's alright
Justin | LOS ANGELES, US, Canada | 07/07/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I am fairly big Zao fan and own most of their albums. I would place this one at the same level as The Funeral of God. It has a similar overall sound, so if you liked that album, you will probably like this one as well. The music is fairly good, and the clean vocals are basically like Funeral of God, but I did not really find any of the songs particularly memorable, in a good or bad way.
For whatever reason, the physical release of this album is a limited edition. The linear notes are on separate pieces of thicker paper (not stapled together or folded), with the idea that you can pick your own cover. There are six pages/covers.
Personally, I am still waiting for a return to "Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest," and this album is nowhere near there, but it is not terrible, either."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1