Artist: Zao
Label: Tooth and Nail Records
Release Date: 1998
Rating: 5 Skulls
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Title: Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest Artist: Zao Label: Tooth and Nail Records Release Date: 1998 Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Equinox's Review:
When Zao retooled their line up following their second full-length effort The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation, the result was the creation of what would be one of the most influential releases in the history of extreme music, 1998's Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest. This album, from start to finish, is an unrelenting, intense, and profoundly powerful experience, one which has endeared countless fans and inspired a seemingly endless number of bands to follow.There are many times where an entire album can be summed up in its opening track. If that's the case here, then the listener knows instantly that they're in for something amazing when they hear the pounding tom/guitar strains and whisper-to-scream vocal build up of the opening seconds of "Lies Of Serpents, A River of Tears". This song is one of the most intense pieces ever penned, as tooth-clenchingly crushing as any song I have ever heard. Instantly memorable and highly energetic, "Lies" is a precisely constructed masterpiece with wailing guitars, shredding vocals and enormous drums. The song contains one of the hugest breakdown refrains in history, with a groove that couldn't be more locked in and enough metal fury to melt an iceberg. This one is not a riff-a-rama, instead it is in itself a well-written short story, coming and going in a few minutes but leaving a fantastic lasting mark.
The intensity level is kept at a fever-pitch with the next track "To Think of You Is to Treasure an Absent Memory". After a quick respite, starting off with humble, distortion-free mid-tempo guitar strumming and light tomwork, the song comes barreling in, diving into a series of slow, ominous and super heavy groove parts, with ever-changing drum patterns to further develop the song's tale. The agonized vocals give way eventually to a truly awesome vocal harmony, with the harsh screams over a pleasant spoken refrain. Just when you think the song is over, it comes back stronger and harder than ever, with another pounding breakdown leading to a concise sharp end.
"A Fall Farewell" follows with a burst of speed and another very memorable opening riff. This one is played at a frantic pace; it literally makes you lose your breath. The guitar squeals and chug riffs are perfectly blended, and the breakdown has a great build up, an awesome groove and an undeniable feel of urgency. The next track "March" slows things down a bit, and has more great guitar work, with eye-squinting high notes blending nicely with another good mix of clean, spoken parts and screamed cries. Nice stop/start riffs and powerful drumming are the calling cards of this track, and a quaint softly spoken vocal passage ends the affair. "Ember" is next, commencing with yet another great opening riff/tom build up. There is some great double bass drumming here, as well as some nimble fills. The vocals are as harsh as ever, the guitar playing is accurate and never overdone, and in a little over two minutes it's on to the next song.
"Ravage Ritual" begins with a chilling, ominous sample, then brings the metal with one of the best riffs on the album. Another nice series of fills and a smooth guitar bridge leads to more sweet guitar monies, then it's on to another one of the best breakdowns in history, a memorable chug-fast which leaves the listener delightfully full of head-bobbing rafter. "Fifteen Rhea" opens with a solid groove riff, gets more up-tempo, flows through another set good harmonies and contains another fantastic breakdown. I know I am beginning to sound like I'm repeating myself, but these songs are all really that good. "For a Fair Desire" is no exception to this statement either, and contains all of the hallmarks of the earlier songs, and dare I say, another great breakdown? There are many breakdowns on this one, to be sure, but they are all good.
"The Latter Rain" begins with some twinkling chimes, then comes in at a slow pace with yet another beautiful mix of high pitched harmonies, heavy groove riffs and stop/start precision, all topped with the same amazing vocals. The song develops into an emotional journey, with a soft riff underlying the spoken word style vocals. "Violet" is the last song here, and ends the album on the exact opposite end of the extremity spectrum as the opener. The song is a simple but deep, introspective piano track, a nice peaceful end to an extremely enjoyable, excellent and wonderful album.
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest is listenable the whole way through, and I never find myself skipping any of the songs to be found on the album. There is something in each and every song that makes you nod your head and smile. While this style of music is often imitated, still to this day few albums have come close to the pure energy and exuberance of this classic. Definitely in my all-time top five metalcore album list, and personally one of the most influential albums of my musical career. Top it off with some of the best album artwork ever, and this is a true "must own" for any extreme music fan.
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