Metal Reviews

Zero Hour: One of the best progressive metal bands out there! I first heard them because I recognized the Travis Smith artwork at a used shop. I'd not heard the band, but I've learned over the years that if Trav does the artwork it's a damn good indication that the CD is good (hence my collection of 68 albums with his artwork on them).

Anyway, that album I picked up was METAMORPHOSIS. I later picked up their SELF-TITLED off of eBay, which I then learned is basically Metamorphosis, which was a remastered re-release with bonus tracks. It's cool, that debut was limited to 2,100, so I'm happy with it. Then about a month or two ago I picked up THE TOWERS OF AVARICE, another killer prog-metal album! Finally this past weekend I found A FRAGILE MIND and once again this band blows me away!

This isn't Dream Theater-like prog-metal, this is heavy when it's heavy—which is often—unlike Dream Theater, which I feel are rather "lite" when trying to be heavy (great band, though, shoosh!). I just can't get enough of this band, which is good because I just read this killer newsbit:

San Francisco Bay Area progressive metallers ZERO HOUR have completed the songwriting process for their new album, Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond, tentatively due next year. "This is easily our most technical CD to date and it's going to be our best," stated guitarist/keyboardist Jasun Tipton. "We can't wait to get this CD out to everyone. It's a MONSTER!!!"

Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond tentative track listing:

01. Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond
02. The Falcon's Cry
03. Face the Fear
04. I am Here
05. Zero Hour
06. Evidence of the Unseen

I cannot wait! This band is truly one of the best prog-metal bands I've ever heard. They are amazing! Here is some tunage to check out:

THERE FOR ME from A Fragile Mind
STRATAGEM from The Towers Of Avarice
EYES OF DENIAL Clip from Metamorphosis
THE SYSTEM REMAINS Clip from Metamorphosis
VOICE OF REASON Clip from Metamorphosis
METAMORPHOSIS I: DESCENT Clip from Metamorphosis
METAMORPHOSIS II: AWAKEN Clip from Metamorphosis
METAMORPHOSIS III: UNION Clip from Metamorphosis
METAMORPHOSIS V: ASCENT Clip from Metamorphosis

Woah! That first clip is awesome! No I'm listening to METAMORPHOSIS V: ASCENT Clip from Metamorphosis This is awesome as well!


Btw. I just noticed you are a part of the Metal Reviews team today. When the hell did this happen? Am I completely noobish for asking such a question?

Also btw. If you keep bringing us material like this, you will make a fine reviewer.

Yes, Zero Hour are a killer band! Travis Smith has directed me towards so many awesome bands it's not even funny! I'm a sucker for his artwork.

And yeah, over the weekend I became a reviewer here. It's been a while in the making, but I had to resign from my other reviewing job first and finish a few reviews with them.

Zero hour are fucking awesome, I got recomended to them by my girlfriend's cousin (who recomends me a crapload of good music ) and am now obsessed with The Towers of Avarice and A Fragile Mind. They're so hypnotic, their albums just fly by so fast, I have no clue how their vocalist(s) wrote such awesome melodies over those riffs. I didn't like Metamorphosis as much (the keys kinda ruined the dark feel of their music). I think the most apt description of their sound is like a "heavy Spiral Architect who can actually write songs".

Any mention of a release date on the new album?

No one answered that part of my question! Hahaha. But Jasun did say this:

Awesome to hear everyone is STOKED by the news. This is easily going to be our best. VERY, VERY HEAVY TECH, TECH.

YOU ALL RULE and thank you so much for all your support.

Jasun/ZH

And he also confirmed that the almighty Travis Smith will be doing the artwork once again!

Come on, Spiral Architect is good.

Yea they're good, just not much on setting a mood and songwriting

BTW you should check out the side project Death Machine, it's basically the same thing as Zero Hour except with death metal vocals.

I have the reissue of the full-length Death Machine album. It cost me $2. I'm still looking for their EP and the original full-length. I wouldn't say that musically they're the same, but they're damn good, and the vocals aren't too death metal, either, which is good. For those interested in what they sound like, click away:

DEATH MACHINE - SEPARATE

Wow, I've been listening to A Fragile Mind and Towers of Avarice insane amounts the last while... every time I hear them I wonder why they are not worshipped like gods in the prog metal world

=\

from the clips they sound ok, but not amazing. Not for everyones taste I think. Songs feel depressing and disjointed. If they were more vocal heavy instead of their annoying drummings maybe it would be better.

disjointed, yes.

Yea, I guess in a few points they tend to build up then move on to a different idea... but I kinda like that :roll: (I'm weird that way)

Some people just don't appreciate real progressive metal.

This is not real progressive more like oversimplified Nu-metal approach to progressive, which is why you probably like them so much, because you like Nu-metal.

Now that was stupid.

Huh? You mean being able to write songs makes them Numetal? Sarcasm?

The closest they come to numetal is sounding slightly like Tool (who aren't even numetal). And just because this pisses me off I feel like I must point out that playing technically DOES NOT, I repeat, DOES NOT make you a progressive band (if this were true then Ion Dissonance and Psyopus would be considered the kings of progressive metal). Progression = doing something new and original, which Zero Hour are doing and which the legions of flamboyant keyboard wielding bands are not.

Shutting up about that now...

I want to hear Jasun Tipton's solo album... I listened to the sample on his website and it sounds pretty sweet