Slave Zero Reviews

Nocturnal Horde

http://www.nocturnalhorde.com/review482.html

The Irish metal scene seems big as hell and very active, even though we don't hear that much to it overhere, though I'm sure that will change in time, as more and more bands from up there get signed and their are music spread to the masses. Slave Zero is one of the unsigned bands, though it can't take long before they'll have to sign a deal, if they can keep up, what they have going on, on this new EP of theirs.

Slave Zero delivers a fierce and heavy as shit combination of death metal and hardcore, with some thrash influences. The music is well-weighed and the shifts between the very heavy base riffs, mid-paced kick drum inferno and the faster more aggressive hardcore parts works really well, and capture the listener. The music is very diverse and the contrast between, slow and tortured passages and faster more straight ahead elements works really well, and keeps the interest at the music. The band seems as skilled song writers judging from the 5 songs on this album, as they know when the make a shift in the music and how to keep the momentum going.

There is a dark haunting atmosphere in the songs, and the vocalist makes the lyrics seem very personal, due to the big amount of emotion and passion in his vocals, and that atmosphere is actually present in the music as well. The main vocal is a passionate scream, reminding me a tad about the "common" vocal scream used in most sludge-core and yeah, a young and angry Phil Anselmo mixed with some violent NY hardcore styled pissed off at the world kinda scream. Good and effective vocals. The vocals are varied by an insanely scream, which works well together with the main vocal.

Slave Zero delivers music that is hard to describe, it is as such pretty simple, though the mix of thrashy hardcore and heavy death metal that they do their way is pretty unique. The band uses melodies to a certain extent, though often heavy melodies and not lighter lead melodies, though that happens a lot in the last track 'Faceless', where we get some really good lead work. Much of the guitar work is pretty straight ahead hardcore influenced, with some good breakdowns, but still so much more. The drumming is precise and hard-hitting and some of the way really groovy. The band really wins on the personal atmosphere that haunts the album, the passionate vocals and the good musical and song writing skills. It is a very good mini CD Slave Zero here has made, it is gripping in its very own way and will for sure make some heads turn, at least I have become hooked if everything else fails.

Rating: 8/10