Zao is a band with A LOT of history. They have been around since 1993, and still play today, but their music has changed quite a bit over the years. I really only give a shit about Zao before 2000 came along when their sound went really weird, in my opinion. Originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, Zao formed with only four guys playing what they considered to be "Christ-centered hardcore" for all the kids who felt like outcasts in their church. They released some demos; a full length record titled All Else Failed in 1995 (rereleased with different artwork in 1999 and 2000), The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation in 1997, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest in 1998; along with splits with Through and Through, Outcast (split rereleased in 1999), and Training for Utopia. Zao went from releasing records on Steadfast Records, to Tooth & Nail Records, to now on Ferret Records. Zao is notorious for going through tons of band lineups, as well as sounds. They began, and continued through the mid 90s, with a more straight up 90s hardcore sound, which was a pretty generic sound mixed with very emotional sounding parts and some rad heavy stuff. With new members came a more metal sound, becoming probably the definitive sound of Zao. Super sludgy, evil sounding metalcore with crazy vocals and the essential metaphorical, deep lyrics. When 2000 came along, with new members and a new sound, they changed a lot. Their brand of metalcore became more verse-chorus-verse structured, losing what I believe to be the spirituality of Zao's music. Anyway, for more info, check their MySpace or their Wikipedia page. Below I have posted all of their stuff, I've gotten my hands on over the years, including early demos, old splits, and all the old (good) full length records. In my opinion, their best stuff in on the Splinter Shards... record.
[sorry for the shitty pictures, no time to scan mine and can't find many online]
Conflict Demo (1994)
The Tie That Binds: Zao / Outcast Split (1995 - Steadfast Records)
(original 1995 pressing)
(artwork for 1999 rerelease)
All Else Failed (1995 - Steadfast Records)
Part One
Part Two
(artwork for original, 1995 release)
(artwork for 1999 re-release)
(artwork for final, 2000 re-release)
Treadwater: Zao / Through and Through Split (1996 - Steadfast Records)
The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation (1997 - Tooth & Nail Records)
Part One
Part Two
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998 - Solid State Records)
Zao / Training for Utopia Split (1998 - Solid State Records)
thanks you helped me complete my rareties collection of Zao. i might have 2 eps you are missing too i can send you digital copies of : Author and Sustained.
ReplyDeleteand i have some others i can send you digitally too of like SAS and Selfmindead.
Hey dude, definitely! Email me at joshxNATIONS@gmail.com. I'd love those EPs of Zao and the Stretch and Seldmindead stuff.
ReplyDeletei noticed the All Else Failed only had 5 songs in it. i thought it had more. the 2000 re-release of it that i got at Cornerstone had alot more on it. do you want that release in digital form also?
ReplyDeleteShit! I apologize, I forgot to upload both files for that particular record. The first part contains the first five songs, while the second part contains the last. I'm sorry to anyone who's downloaded this and faced the same issue. It is now corrected. You'll see two parts to be downloaded now. Sorry again.
ReplyDeleteHey dude thanks for the Demos but i have a quick question do you have the track listing for conflict and the album art also check out my blog detritus09.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteMan, I apologize, but I do not have those. If anyone does though, please email me at joshxNATIONS@gmail.com and I'll gladly update it for everyone.
ReplyDeleteJosh, I have Author and Sustained on mediafire. I'll email you the links to them. and All Else Failed was also re-released in 2003 with a fourth different artwork. You can totally tell that Asterik Studios (now Invisible Creature) did that artwork tho.
ReplyDeleteI have that 2003 All Else Failed. I just didn't put it on here because I hated it haha. I stopped with Zao stuff after their split with Training for Utopia and their Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest full length.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Author and Sustained demos, go here:
http://cxhxcrecords.blogspot.com/2010/03/more-zao-stuffdemos.html
Oh man, I never thought I'd find those demos or good quality rips of the splits. You're the best... even if you don't like Liberate or The Fear is What Keeps Us Here. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete