A couple more reviews to share.
http://www.vampire-magazine.com/article.php?aid=45450
ZERO HOUR (USA)
DARK DECEIVER Sensory Records
Written by Matthieu De Ronde on Tuesday 03 June, 2008. Last updated on Tuesday 03 June, 2008
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The last five or six years, Zero Hour has been regarded as one of the top progressive metal bands in the world. Especially with the release of their last two albums“A Fragile Mind“ and “Specs from Pictures Burnt Beyond”, they have stepped out of obscurity and claimed a well deserved spot in the highest rank of the genre. As it’s always a big surprise to see what the Tipton brothers come up with next, I was excited to hear their fifth album “Dark Deceiver”.
Where Zero Hour implemented a more accessible style on “Specs from Pictures Burnt Beyond”, they return to a more technical and experimental style, like on “The Towers of Avarice” but with a lot more aggression and a higher level of intensity. You can say that they mix the ramming drums and rapid-fire guitar shots that you find in extreme metal acts like Meshuggah and mix this with complex melodies, unexpected break(downs) and unique tempo changes. The album also has a very dense and dark sound, that really presses on the listener and it’s hard to let go which also shows the skill of producer Dino Alden. This atmosphere is hard to describe but somehow it feels like walking through an polluted petro-chemical site while the year’s heaviest rain cloud is starting to gather above your head. It’s impressive that a band like Zero Hour has already shown so much of itself, but still manages to come up with an almost entirely unique sound after five albums. On vocals we can still find Chris Salinas and he really fits in one hundred percent with the band now. From his superb clean vocal work, to the strange droning chanting that he uses in the epic and dynamic “Inner Spirit”, it is obvious that this is the only perfect vocalist for the ever changing dynamic music of Zero Hour.
Zero Hour’s “Dark Deceiver” is perhaps the best Zero Hour album to date. It is however a huge “grow record" so you’ll only appreciate it after a spin or five. It can also almost be a blind purchase for anyone that enjoys intense and heavy progressive metal.
http://www.rockreport.be/review.asp?id=2081
ZERO HOUR
Dark Deceiver
© 2008 Sensory Records (SR3042)
nuclear physics metal
studio album
9 tracks - TT 44:43
release date: April 29, 2008
http://www.zerohourweb.com
http://www.lasersedgegroup.com
Zero Hour has released a new album and I can tell you all right up front that it was a hard nut to crack.
The Tipton brothers have returned, after a couple of more accessible records (with obvious highlight last year’s ‘Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond’
, to their more difficult to comprehend roots. Their latest effort can be seen as the rightful follow-up to ‘The Towers Of Avarice’. Those in the knowing will either have a sudden case of vertigo or cry tears of joy. This record, ladies & gentlemen, will separate the boys from the men, sonically speaking.
Compared to this whirlwind of riffs, typhoon-solos, breaks & tempo-changes your average Dream Theater record will sound like the latest Madonna album.
It took yours truly a couple of weeks to get into this brutal avalanche on the senses. Zero Hour’s latest effort is dark, moody, at times very aggressive & a couple of moments later deceivingly soothing. The masterpiece ‘Inner Spirit’, a mere 12 minutes long, is a good example of that. And to top everything off we are offered a strong melodic set of tonsils going by the name of Chris Salinas, straight from the Geoff Tate school of whaling. What more could you want? (KVK)
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Members' opinions post your opinion
andrejmy (on 5/06/08)
Yes finally something really progressive !!
Zero Hour fantastic again.
cradle1scot (on 4/06/08)
I really cant see what all the fuss is here. Cant believe you also think this makes the averageDT sound like Madonna because DT dont make average albums...apart from 6DOIT !
VaDeR (on 4/06/08)
Again a great album that takes multiple spins to fully grasp the complexity.
Highly recommended !!!
Metalrob4662 (on 3/06/08)
Very aggressive and dark, I like this cd a lot, but something is missing for me.
But if you enjoy Progressive Metal as much as me then you should pick it up you wont be dissappionted.
snoe (on 3/06/08)
I cried tears of joy indeed. One of the true progressive metal bands out there. Way overlooked.
WOLF 359 (on 2/06/08)
The Towers Of Avarice is one of my all time favourite albums, with it's dark and aggressive music. This new album from the Tiptons' is it's natural successor and just as complex and tricky to get into. A winner from start to finish.
Great drumming and vocals by Mikey and Chris as well of course.
). Inner Spirit is epic, which I love, the whole tune is magnificent, creates the feel of the journey really draws the listener in, and reckon you guys should do more of. Temple Within is great as well, as is every track really. Overall a heavier feel, but I don't think too ridiculous, still an excellent Zero Hour balance. The instrumentals are cool, but just that, they didn't do much for me (though Troy's bass solo is obviously incredible) I think I preferred the ones on Specs, which sounded a bit more like actual songs. 
