Zao – The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here
Ferret Records – F968-2 – June 13th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Here’s my ranking of
Zao’s discography, from best to worst, excluding their
Split EP with
Training for Utopia (1998) and their best-of compilation
Legendary (2003):
Liberate Te Ex Inferis (Save Yourself from Hell) (1999)
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)
Parade of Chaos (2002)
The Funeral of God (2004)
Zao (2001)
The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here (2006)
The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation (1997)
All Else Failed (1996)
The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here is an unremarkable
Zao album. In fact, I expected a lot more after the triumphant return that was
The Funeral of God. Though I’ve never subscribed to the belief that
Zao are classifiable simply as metalcore, I will admit that for the eager fanatic this is a rather ho-hum affair, especially when examined alongside many of their past efforts.
First, Steve Albini recorded the album, and
Zao produced it. The production values are fair, but I don’t like them. The 38-minute recording is dense, thankfully, yet it also sounds cloudy and muddy considering the sizeable budget that the quartet ostensibly had at their disposal. Second, and most importantly, a large chunk of
The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here is uninteresting. High points include the extremely foreboding and groove-heavy “Physician Heal Thyself,” the boot-to-the-face “Kingdom of Thieves,” the shape-shifting “Pudgy Young Blondes with Lobotomy Eyes,” and the epic “A Last Time for Everything.” A couple of songs recall
Parade of Chaos. “My Love, My Love (We’ve Come Back from the Dead)” parallels the groan-worthy “Angel Without Wings,” whereas the heavily manipulated “A Last Time for Everything” is similar to “A Pirate’s Prayer.” The other tracks aren’t terrible; they’re just forgettable. Dan Weyandt’s vocals are still sick beyond belief, but feel subdued on this outing. The clean vocals – shared by Mellinger (guitar) and Lunn (bass) – are of the everyman variety, if not too unpolished to warrant inclusion. Nonetheless, Gretz proves constantly that he’s the best drummer
Zao’s ever had the pleasure of working with. Of note is the special edition packaging, which is ingenious at a base level. Admittedly, however, it’s difficult to read the liner notes and the making-of DVD is mildly entertaining despite its predictable, run-of-the-mill nature.
All in all, this is not the follow-up I was expecting, nor anticipating.
The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here, if pitted against several members of the
Zao back catalog, is trumped easily. As long as their line-up and unity as a band remain steadfast, though, I’m hoping they’ll be able to address the insufficiencies. They’ve been down and out before, and risen to the occasion.
5.5/10
UM’s Review Rating Scale
Official Zao Website
Official Ferret Records Website
