Zerozonic – Dead on Arrival

Posted by douchemike on December 24th, 2008 filed in Heavy Metal

Zerozonic at Myspace

Although Zerozonic feature current members of Blood Red Throne and Green Carnation they have a sound that is more all American than of the frozen north. Influenced primarily by Pantera but also Black Album era Metallica, Machine Head, Snot, Black Label Society, Godsmack and present day Soilwork, this is an album that bucks the trend to turning the clock back to 1986 by turning back to 1993. Further evidence of this can be seen in the fact that in promo pictures all the members seem to have come dressed as Phillip Anselmo

Bizarrely what should on paper be quite an accessible even commercial metal album, is quite an absolutely obtuse listen. Despite being influenced by some of the most catchy and memorable (as in get stuck in your head like a Hilary Duff song you heard in burger king sort of way) bands in metal, “Dead on Arrival” is instantly forgettable. While the album still plays one can consider it a blessing that they did not choose the most straightforward and dumbed-down route, but that’s quickly dispelled by the sheer unremarkableness of the material and the occasional even more regrettable “nu” moment.

When they do stray from the usual formula with “Zero” sounding like Sonic Syndicate attempting a seven minute power ballad and “Stripped” having a middle section which sounds like Zakk Wylde masturbating onto the corpse of the genre of Barroom Blues Rock. At the end of the day all “Dead on Arrival” had to offer is “Far Beyond Driven” without the intensity or “The Black Album” without the hooks. If you already despise those two records then just think how much you will hate this one.