Liberate Te Ex Inferis
Encyclopedia
Liberate Te Ex Inferis is the fourth full length album by metalcore
band Zao. It is considered to be their most experimental and darkest album. It was released on Solid State
/Tooth & Nail Records
. With the album came the addition of bassist Rob Horner. Liberate is the first Zao album to feature Scott Mellinger, who replaced Brett Detar
after his decision to pursue The Juliana Theory
full time.
The album's title is grammatically incorrect. The sentence is Latin
, and a rough English translation is "Free / yourself / from / Hell
." However, the imperative "Liberate" is in the plural form, and its direct object "Te" is in the singular. The distinction isn't found in English (e.g. "you" can refer to one person or more than one person), which is why the rough translation shows no apparent problem. The Latin should read either (1) "Libera Te Ex Inferis", if it's meant to be about one person; or (2) "Liberate Vos Ex Inferis" if it's meant to be about more than one person. (It's possible there was an error when the sentence was transcribed wherein "Libera Te" was written as "Liberate", i.e. with no word division).
The theme of the album art is based on Dante's inferno
, as the songs are grouped in pairs named after the rings in hell. Because of this arrangement, the album is often mistakenly labeled as a concept album. The band members themselves, however, had nothing to do with the idea and very little input on the artwork and layout.
The album contains several samples from the science fiction
horror movie Event Horizon
. The title of the album is also a quote from Event Horizon
.
Drummer Jesse Smith has stated that Liberate is his favorite Zao album. The staff of Ferret Music
also favor this record.
The album will receive the vinyl treatment in May 2011 from Broken Circles Records. The album will feature new cover art, designed by Brent Lakes.
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band Zao. It is considered to be their most experimental and darkest album. It was released on Solid State
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,...
/Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
. With the album came the addition of bassist Rob Horner. Liberate is the first Zao album to feature Scott Mellinger, who replaced Brett Detar
Brett Detar
Brett Detar is an American singer, musician, and producer best known as lead singer of the now defunct rock band The Juliana Theory and as former guitarist/bassist for metalcore band Zao...
after his decision to pursue The Juliana Theory
The Juliana Theory
The Juliana Theory are an American rock quintet from Greensburg and Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Juliana Theory signed to Christian record label Tooth & Nail Records despite not being a Christian band. The group later signed to Epic Records for the release of the album Love. The Juliana Theory...
full time.
The album's title is grammatically incorrect. The sentence is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and a rough English translation is "Free / yourself / from / Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
." However, the imperative "Liberate" is in the plural form, and its direct object "Te" is in the singular. The distinction isn't found in English (e.g. "you" can refer to one person or more than one person), which is why the rough translation shows no apparent problem. The Latin should read either (1) "Libera Te Ex Inferis", if it's meant to be about one person; or (2) "Liberate Vos Ex Inferis" if it's meant to be about more than one person. (It's possible there was an error when the sentence was transcribed wherein "Libera Te" was written as "Liberate", i.e. with no word division).
The theme of the album art is based on Dante's inferno
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...
, as the songs are grouped in pairs named after the rings in hell. Because of this arrangement, the album is often mistakenly labeled as a concept album. The band members themselves, however, had nothing to do with the idea and very little input on the artwork and layout.
The album contains several samples from the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
horror movie Event Horizon
Event Horizon (film)
Event Horizon is a 1997 science fantasy horror film. The screenplay was written by Philip Eisner and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The film stars Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill...
. The title of the album is also a quote from Event Horizon
Event Horizon (film)
Event Horizon is a 1997 science fantasy horror film. The screenplay was written by Philip Eisner and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The film stars Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill...
.
Drummer Jesse Smith has stated that Liberate is his favorite Zao album. The staff of Ferret Music
Ferret Music
Ferret Music is an independent record label, founded in 1996. The label is owned in part by NORA's vocalist, Carl Severson, and in part by Philadelphian artist manager Paul Conroy, and based in West Windsor Township, New Jersey...
also favor this record.
The album will receive the vinyl treatment in May 2011 from Broken Circles Records. The album will feature new cover art, designed by Brent Lakes.
Track listing
- "Intro" - 3:38
- "Savannah" - 2:46
- "Autopsy" - 2:12
- "If These Scars Could Speak" - 4:43
- "The Ghost Psalm" - 5:42
- "Desire the End" - 4:58
- "Dark Cold Sound" - 3:10
- " Skin Like Winter" - 2:23
- "Kathleen Barbra" - 3:35
- "Man In Cage Jack Wilson" - 7:00
Personnel
- Daniel Weyandt - vocals
- Scott Mellinger - guitar
- Russ Cogdell - guitar
- Jesse Smith - drums
- Rob Horner - bass