Band: Zerozonic
Title: God Damn, Better, Best
Label: Ozo Records / Mayhem Music
Distribution: Mayhem Music / Metal Revelation / Indie Distribution
Release date: March 11th 2011
Review: CD

Zerozonic were formed in 2004 by Daniel Olaisen (g), member of Death-machine Blood Red Throne, Scariot or Trioxin, and Satyricon’s live guitar player during the late nineties, to create the ultimate definition of what Groove Metal should stand for. Soon after he was joined by Lowdown’s Leo Morachiolli, who kindly offered his throat to Daniel’s project. Leo is a remarkable vocalist for exploring unusual timbres. He mainly grunts and growls, but he isn’t afraid to experiment with scary screams, weird yells, crazy manipulations, clean and melodic voices, and so on. Not always as successful, I think, but rather fun to listen to.
In 2007, this Norwegian band released its debut, Dead On Arrival, through their own label, Ozo Records. It got re-released last year through Rockline, by the way.
This second album, recorded with two new members (bass player Martin Berger and drummer Jon Eirik Bokn, known from Autumn Inspiration, Scum Culture or Dead Trooper), brings forty five minutes of lunatic, thrashy and energetic Groove Metal. One cannot deny the many Death Metal-inspired riffs and structures, which give the album a hint of abyssal darkness. The focus, however, is Groove-based: groovy song structures, groovy bass lines, groovy rhythms, groovy guitar riffs, groovy everything. It sounds modern (great production, I have to admit), it sounds timeless and international; God Damn, Better, Best will please those who think Pantera do not groove the grooviest way.

70/100

Ivan Tibos.