Band : Core Zero
Album title : Doxology
Label : Own release
Distributor : /
Release date : June 2010
Release : CD

Singer/ guitarist Brian (aka “Sweet Meat” - I've no knowledge of the family names of àny of the band's members) started this American Rock/ Metal band under the name Sin Eater in 2005. Going through several line-up changes to find the correct persons to fit both the band's style, personalities and commitment level (as well as a bandname change) the membership of Core Zero was eventually completed with lead/ rhythm guitarist & backing singer Greg, bassist/ backing singer Mike (aka “Jughead”), and drummer Dave.

With members now coming from all over the country, the Denver based act contacted famed Colorado producer Steve Avedis (been around since the early '80s) in 2009 to record/ co-produce the band's debut full-length album, which didn't get finished but during 2010. In the band's biography (or rather, in óne of the biographies I found), the foursome claims to have a wide array of influences including Blues, Modern (Hard) Rock, '80s Hair Metal, and current-day Screamcore Metal. Their sound has been described as “Melodic Mosh Pit'n Metal” and “A mosh-pit of Metal and melody”, and has already earned the band a nomination to the MA Music Awards in the category “Best New Metal Band”. CZ themselves put it down as follows: “...if Disturbed, Godsmack, Drowning Pool and Avenged Sevenfold had a 4-headed love child they'd name it Core Zero”. Wishful thinking, perhaps?

To be quite honest, a first listening session did not go down well with me! The album opens with the somewhat fast-paced and riff-oriented songs “Give It All” and “Doxology”, both of which appalled me by their sharp sound and, in fear of the possibility of the rest of the album being in the same vein, I was already thinking bad thoughts about this band. But then the band does a couple of real fine songs, starting with the calmer “Undefined” and the ensuing catchy “This Is War”, which is driven by a very nice recurring melody. With the opening of “Home” one even gets the impression the guys may cut their teeth on a ballad, due to a somewhat acoustic intro...but that impression is swiftly crushed by what follows. Still, this track could count as one of the “calmest” on the album. Hey, time to talk about the vocals! Obviously the most prominent one is the melodic high pitch of the lead singer, but what makes his singing stand out is the diversity of the backings...going from harmonic clean to rough scream, and to deep growl. At this point I feel I need to return to the track-list, as the mid-paced “Ignite” (opens with a very nice twin lead guitar passage) is one of the 3 songs you can listen to at (www.) myspace.com/corezero. After this one, there's more in the “calmer” vein, but also more in the faster paced one...showing the band's diversity in that field. The album being available at iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby, I guess that's where those among you might find samples to all 11 songs on the album. I confess I originally liked the slower songs more, because the pace allows the songs' qualities to come to the for more prominently, but as I continued to listen to the album I grew to love it as a whole!

End conclusion, one really needs to give this band's material repeated listening sessions (upon doin' so, I discovered the nice lead play underneath those tracks which at first I judged to be too riff-driven), in fact I'd say that's almost a must...but once past that stage one truly gets into a mood to enjoy the offerings.

85/100

Tony.