October 1, 2013

10 years & now - ZERO MENTALITY - X: a review

When I was asked to give a benefitial listen to the new recordings of ZERO MENTALITY, it felt like coming home, baby! I already missed the recording session due to work - but for this thingy here, I'll put my own work into. I always tried to give my very best for Z.M. I have a history with Z.M. And I saw alot of Z.M. in the past. Maybe I missed some of the members and lineups especially in the later days, but you should all know: I have been there...with them...saw them in a practice room before the had a demo, saw some of the very first shows, saw the energy and the omni-cultural potential that build this machine. I soon hit the machine, drove the machine, sold the machine, fueled my machine, loved them, hated them, despised them, supported them...them...me...and the machine...ZERO MENTALITY.

They going to put out a new recording. ZERO MENTALITY is back. Don't call it a comeback. I never would. I never saw this lineup play a single show. But I know all the guys. There are rockers, metalheads, weirdos, football supporters, musicians, teachers - there are once again a whole lot of influences this band draws from. But with "X", they do not only seek the unknown - they also try to come back to what made them a successful force on alot of stages and country-parts we all traveled to.

Don't be mislead, this is not another "In fear of forever" that totally pushes back the achievements in Black Rock. You can still hear that in the vocals and read it in lines like:
"a thee im me assaults from behind 
a veil of haze has darkened my mind 
a soul all-seeing, yet numb and blind 
antagonism of two of one kind"
(from: Gemini)
But you will also get some very classic speed-riffs, some hookful parts, a certain mosher in between, an uplifting crunch, and a nothing but classic hardcore phrase like "with a blunted edge i'm stabbing my back."
This first track is musically totally along the lines of the first two albums.

I never made it a secret, that I rated "Invite your soul" their most superior work, but I always felt like their best record would have been a mixture. With "Serenity Now" they probably just did that - in one song. At least, there are parts of "In fear of forever", "Invite your soul" and the (much underrated) split with THE HEARTBREAK MOTEL. Lyrically, you'll once again get a classic theme:
"eaten up with envy and grief 
morbid jealousy and misbelief 
pretend to suffer hell on earth 
a cruel charade to make it worse"
(from: Serenity now)

To really give this a happy ending, there is this one thing I always liked alot more about ZERO MENTALITY than I liked on alot of other bands - because not many are capable of doing it in such a
catchy way. I am talking INSTRUMENTAL, baby! For some funny reason, this is named "Bürgerliche Kälte" - but on the contrary, it is once again tempting and captivating. And another classic!

If you have ever liked ZERO MENTALIY, you don't wanna miss "X". I you haven't heard them before, listen to "X" and you will want to grab the old stuff. If you expect more ZERO MENTALITY, start to believe in the year X of their existence.

It is coming - soon... very soon! Keep your eyes open, your hearts on fire and your emotions in charge!

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