[avatar user=”Mosh” size=”50″ align=”left” /]Zero Down consists of five members, each steeped in the mire and filth of the Seattle metal and punk scenes over many years. Together, they’ve released three albums since 2005 and before the end of December (15th, to be precise), they’ll add another to that list.
Sitting square in the “traditional rock/metal” pigeon hole, No Limit To The Evil is a great collection of 80’s-flavoured tunes. Fat guitars, screamed and lower-pitched vocals and thumping beats propel every track.
The band’s facebook page credits three of the members with vocal duties and this is very apparent when listening. Some songs are pretty much in one voice, but others – such as the excellent “Steve McQueen” – make full use of the extra voices. This isn’t a case of one singer and some occasional support in the background. It’s very much a team effort on the vocal front.
Tracks vary in heaviness from fast-paced rock numbers which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Skid Row album (“Cold Winters Night”), to heavier numbers (“Black Rhino”) which are slower but definitely more “metal”. The band are prepared to make full use of either genre, and mix them together well on some songs.
It did take me a listen to get right into No Limit To Evil, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. There are some really good songs on here. I’d pick out “Cold Winters Night” for the rhythm guitar’s riff and story within the lyrics; and “Steve McQueen” for the huge variety of styles within in. Oh, and “Two Ton Hammer” for it’s driving beat – that’s got to be one of the best songs on the album to hear live.
Oh, cover art is a great piece by Megadeth / Death / 3 Inched of Blood paintbrush-wielder, Ed Repka.
No Limit To The Evil is out on December 15th, 2014 through Minotauro Records.
Note that the video below is from one of their earlier releases and is definitely faster-paced than anything on No Limit…, but does give you an idea of their style. And I like it, so you may as well give it a watch/listen!
