Z
August |
Zombie
Shaker Box – Encrypted This band sound like a cross between Ozzy, Black Label Society, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie and the sounds of Seattle all rolled into one. Highlights from the 4 guys from Washington DC and Las Vegas include the opening ‘Welcome To My Rave’ that sets the standard of what’s to come; the Alice In Chains like ballad that is ‘Tigerlilly’ the blues of ‘Answer To No One’; the exquisite ballad in ‘In Loving Memory’ and the closing and haunting ‘Ashen’. Good band but they do get too much like a wanna-be Alice in Chains as it goes on. 6/10 By Glenn Milligan |
June |
| ZIPPO
- Maktub Not a relative of the puppet from Rainbow, Italy’s Zippo, greet me with an interestingly artistic cover design. Anticipating interestingly artistic music inside, is justified but comes somewhat out the wrong way, very horrendously at first. Slinging together alternative, punk, metal, garage, industrial and a sprinkle of eastern flavour as the album front probably indicates, the seven tunes mostly disappear under it in to indecipherable heaps of noise and no significant hooks or lines. Later numbers are a vague improvement but most of the time continue to come in too fast and carelessly with it all, wrecking what could have been a great record just as the front man’s pleasantly Pepper Keenan-like roar begins to come through. Sadly Zippo may remain zipped up for a while longer. 4.5/10 By Dave Attrill |
May
2011 |
| ZERO
ILLUSIONS - Oblivion These metallers perform very authentically tailored old-school melodic thrash that looks like they read from a hand book had keeping the page open at what pleases many a leather-clad Bay Area believer. Excuse me a minute but did I actually say anything about that being a bad thing because it is absolutely nothing short of succulent ear candy for the metalhead past thirty. ZI specialise - proudly so - in tasty high speed trad riffs mix with melodic parts in proportionate abundance giving you a bit of everything to listen to and love the unashamedly old fashioned defiance they show and the solos do their stuff to match the authenticity every time round. Sadly stuck without a tracklisting for this one, (a word in your ear, promo people) I’d have to stipulate that at last ten of these eleven numbers are instant live metal classics with hooks that take them just as much in the direction of a mainstream crowd as those wanting something fast angry and ‘eavy’. Excellent disc lads, more to follow we hope - zero originality but illusions certainly performed here in keeping this music still truly alive. 9.25/10 By Dave Attrill RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Anthrax, Megadeth, Overkill, Iron Maiden NET: myspace.com/zeroilliusions |
| August |
|
ZZG – Trapped
In The Mirror A hard rock outfit from Canberra, Australia that sound like an up-to-date Edgar Broughton mixed with Atomic Rooster with real quirky sounding vocals and musical elements mixed around with classic rock overtones from the 70’s and beyond. Highlights on the 7 tracker include the wackily lyriced and titled ‘Tom Go To Bed’; ‘For The Sky’ (where I hear a bit of Doors’ness coming through); the sinister riffed and minor keyed ‘Point’. Pretty f*ck*n’ weird to say the least. 6/10 By Glenn Milligan |
July |
| EZRIN
ZYZYX - Nobody Cares Ezrin Zyzyx, whoever and whatever he is, is interesting. Starting off with a very sixties feel , he goes on to travel through a retro-edged alrernative style and climax in a progresssive sound within the space of 42 minutes . Not to mention trying about every other form of rock music old and noew in between , this chap seems to be good with every type of guitar going, semi-acoustic being his biggest stength. While hooks aren’t Ezrin’s strength, experimentalism certainly is and he often forces more than two diffent things into one tune. While less often than not making a mess of his pleasantly ELO- meets-Beatles like produce, he still fails to make a few of the tunes as instant as they could be but the disc has substance and should be fun for plenty expecting to find inspiration when they turn the woofers on. You know something… I think I do care actually. 7/10 By Dave Atttrill |
May |
|
ZEBRAHEAD - Juggernauts
(Single)
(S/R – 2010) Cali’ Pop punk giants Zebrahead make their latest return to the fray in leaps and bounds with this cheery rocker from their latest disc ‘Phoenix’. Not that they’ve actually yet had the ashes to rise from, this quick and quirky little track will get new and old fans singing all the way to the stores. The vocal structure boasts a brilliant rhythmical bounce especially in the verse part and sets everyone jumping like beans. Definitely a treat for their live sets, this juggernaut looks ready to roll far in 2010. 7/10 By
Dave Attrill |
January
2010 |
|
Mike Zito – Pearl
River
(Eclecto Groove Records – 2009) Impressive Bluesman from New Orleans who reminds me of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy and other legendary artists of that calibre. There’s plenty of stomping numbers songs on here with some being real gems such as the acoustic country-like track ‘One Step At A Time’; the title track ‘Pearl River’; the humorous male and female duet ‘Shoes Blues’; the slow and dirty, slide guitarin’ ‘Natural Born Lover’ and closing nice ballad ‘C’mon Baby’. Expect to hear more about this guy in and around 2010. 7.5/10 By
Glenn Milligan |
| February
2009 |
|
Zonaria - Infamy
And The Breed
(Pivotal Recordings – 2009) Swedish extreme metal band formed in 2002 have been influenced by Arch Enemy and Dimmu Borgir as school kids and have created a band of extreme aggression. ‘Infamy And The Breed’ released in 2007 is the groundwork for a young and up and coming band in the extreme metal scene. This 12-track assault batters the speakers and the surrounding buildings with more force and power than a tornado. Zonaria have developed a very close nit type of sound with a basic principle that reduces the risk of the music being complicated. The violent growls, pounding drums and aggressive guitar work, keeps the whole thing together in a nice package ‘Infamy And The Breed’ releases so much aggression and passion from the band, I think their next conquest will give them total European claim. 8/10 By
Tony Watson |
November
2007 |
| THEODORE ZIRAS - Hyperexia Another month, another guitar-sensation-in-the-making’s debut release hits our deck.Greek newcomer Theodore Ziras, while a total unknown to these shores, brings a couple of distinctively less unfamiliar names along with him. Dream Theater legend Derek Sherinian just about steals the rest of the show behind his back - yes, it happens to be an instrumental album, by the way - with ex-Pride And Glory man Brian Tischy being the engine but it is Mr Ziras of course whom we are supposed to be lending our ears to here with his name being on the cover. Not interested drastically in constant high-speed widdling along the lines of so many other six-string luminaries that went before, names Vai and Malmsteen being two, T.Z. slows the pace quite often in a strongly AOR-ish direction and creates a good verse-chorus-verse vibe - ergo, one can actually hum along once knowing what’s coming up. If you enjoyed Andy Timmons and David Gregorisch’s discs from last year, this gentleman is very much worth your time. Hopefully, Theodore has time to do make another one. 8/10
By Dave Attrill |
2005 |
|
Zan Clan – We
are Zan Clan, who the f*ck are you?
(Perris Records – 2005) Original vocalist of Shotgun Messiah ‘Zim Zan’ with his own band. As you’d expect, well those of you in the know of his previous band, this is Cheesy OTT sex related rock n roll a la LA – ha ha ha – get’s our vote. They even show the bad side of hard drugs as opposed to talking about partying it up all the time which is a good thing. 8.5/10 By
Glenn Milligan |
ZEBRA
- 4 It's one of the least commonly used letters in the alphabet, Z only being used to profile, so far in terms of rock n' roll outfits by three gentlemen from Texas and Freddy 'Alias' Curci's new act, Zion, not to mention being the name of Frontiers' chief rival in the melodic rock label stakes. Now, I'm sure Randy Jackson once fronted a band beginning with said consonant, as well... wasn't it named after some zoo animal, or something..er.Zebra. By jove that was it! The former China Rain/Sign guitarist/singer's primal outfit has been laid to rest, on the recording side, for all of 17 years, matching the duration that fellow Frontiers/N&T signee Robert Fleischmann has spent off the job. Except that unlike the former Journey/Vinnie Vincent frontman, Randy kept busy, musically speaking throughout the hiatus. So after nearly two decades without putting pen to manuscript together, have Jackson, plus fellow original sidekicks Guy Gelso (bass) and Felix Hannemann (drums) still got what it takes to cut the mustard in 2003? I wouldn't worry myself too much. Whilst not being the most experienced Zebra listener about, I have heard a few from their heyday duration - enough to assure me that their fans should welcome this return offering from these lost sons. Acoustic-oriented rockers like 'So I Dance' and 'Who Am I', eastern-drenched opening cruncher 'Arabian Nights', the drivin' blues of 'Free', 'Light Of My Love' and 'KK is Hiding' (which is not about the Judas Priest guitarist doing a runner) and the sax-laced ballad 'Waiting to Die' which suddenly kicks into out 'n'out hard rock with about half a minute of its playing time left, are examples of another melodic rock success story surviving through the dark ages without surrendering to the barbarians. The trio have undoubtedly remembered that strong hooks and huge harmonies are the strict rules that still apply today (more than ever) to succeed in the AOR trade. With very few faults, Zebra's first album after a generation's worth of years in which the three still kept busy whilst their own separate ways, shows so, especially in Jackson's case. You see, things do still look better in black n' white..striped. 8/10 By Dave Attrill |
| ROB
ZOMBIE - THE SINISTER URGE
(GEFFEN RECORDS 493 147-2 - 2002) With 'The Sinister Urge' don't expect anything new from Rob Zombie, he has started where he left off, so if you are familiar with 'Hellbilly Deluxe' you have heard 'The Sinister Urge'. I'm not saying that this is not a wonderful CD, it is, and it has its wicked tracks that will give Rob Zombie an even bigger name. 'Never Gonna Stop (the red, red kroovy)', 'Iron head' featuring Ozzy Osbourne, 'Feel so Numb' and 'Dead Girl Superstar' to name but a few will have you're bones shaking in there boots. Throughout the CD there are guest appearances to name the better-known persons Tommy Lee, Ozzy Osbourne, Kerry King and DJ Leathal all of which have added their own little trademark. If you think that 'Dead Girl Superstar' sounds familiar, it's because it's 'Living Dead Girl' with different lyrics. Personally I don't see the point, but 'Living Dead Girl' is still one of those tracks that you don't get bored of. 'The Sinister Urge' is a CD that you may not like to start off with because it isn't anything new, but it is one of those CD's that grow and grow on you until he releases the remix version. 8/10 By Tony Watson |
| Pre - 2002 |
| Dweezil
Zappa - Automatic
Dweezil Zappa, the son of the legendary Frank, has unleashed a scorcher of a new album, the very impressive 'Automatic', (his first in ten years), on Steve Vai's 'Favoured Nations' label. Be prepared to be impressed and totally smitten with this digital jewel. Listening to the track 'Fwakstension', you'd be forgiven if you thought that you were witnessing Steve Vai himself - because it's wacky, fusionistic instrumental rock containing off-the-wall atmospheric effects that you'll find on The Who's 'Who's Next' or on John Entwistle's momentous '905' (from The Who's 'Who are You' album). For full-on cheesy humour value, you won't get nothing better than Dweezil's cover of the famous 'Hawaii Five-O' theme - and the fun doesn't stop there - he's even chucked in a version of 'You're a mean one Mister Grinch' which is like 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on jazzy acid and features Ahmet Zappa on vocals - you gotta love it!!! Elsewhere, the album is in the strange Rock-Jazz fusion mode. 'Therapy', is quite simply puzzling, where you'll find a whole variation of musical tempos throughout, not to mention all the strange noises coming out the speakers as well. Mr. Zappa has even had a strike at the two famous tunes from 'Carmen', these being 'Habanera' and 'Les Toreanders' that's been used in a number of Television advertisements. If you've ever tried to get hold of somebody in an office using the good old telephone and got no luck whatsoever then you're bound to appreciate the realism of 'Dick Cinnamon's Office', complete with irritating phone music, telephonist and a rather frustrated caller - a totally titillating listen is guaranteed. It's immediately followed by 'Purple Guitar' - a blasting instrumental rocker that has all the qualities of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai merged into one - pure class, if I say so myself. 'Automatic' is one of the most rivetingly entertaining albums I have ever heard. Dweezil Zappa has that gift to keep you interested throughout the entire album because he mixes in so many musical styles. This guy is the Einstein of the electric guitar, who like father Frank, does not cease to amaze. 9/10 Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS |
