Zao (band)
Encyclopedia
Zao is a metalcore
band from Greensburg, Pennsylvania
, and one of the founding metalcore
groups. Founded in 1993 in Parkersburg, West Virginia
, Zao has hosted several musicians and endured numerous roster changes to the point where no original members remain. Former drummer Jesse Smith, singer Daniel Weyandt, and guitarists Scott Mellinger & Russ Cogdell are seen by most fans as the "core" of Zao.
Christianity
has been a key influence in the band's work; because the founding members claimed to have a strong relationship with God
, they were considered a devoted Christian band, which changed as time passed. Former drummer Jesse Smith slowly changed the band's vision. Because only half the band's members identified themselves as Christians, Zao no longer considered itself a Christian band but rather a group of open-minded artists. Lyrics in future productions may or may not include Christian messages, but Zao has stated they would love to return to the Christian Cornerstone Festival
.
To date, Zao has completed ten full-length albums, three EPs
, a two-disc DVD
documentary and multiple concert tours, garnering a limited but global fanbase and earning critical praise in the process.
word (ζάω), which means "alive" or "to have life". Zao vocalist Eric Reeder has been credited with coming up with the band's name. Calling their sound "Christ-centered hardcore", they sought to reach an audience that they felt has been pushed away from the organized church. Most of their early songs, which appeared on their first two full-length albums, All Else Failed and The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation (which saw the band re-recording much of the "All Else Failed" material), contained explicit references to God and centered on the theme of the peace of God. Reeder left before Zao recorded All Else Failed and was replaced by Shawn Jonas, who went on to form Symphony in Peril. Jonas left the band after recording one album and is now a youth pastor at New Life Church in West Virginia; original bassist Mic Cox left the band, and Kevin Moran took his place. Ron Gray also joined the band as a second guitarist after the recording of The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation. All of the band members, except for drummer Jesse Smith, quit Zao following the 1997 Cornerstone festival and a couple of shows they played on the way back home.
. The group played fewer and fewer songs from the old version of the band as Blood and Fire took hold. They toured without a bassist and set stages ablaze with their raw emotion and Weyandt's personal storytelling, which detailed the hardships that informed their songs. With a rockabilly look and Smith's oddly engaging habit of setting up his drums facing away from the audience, their live reputation grew large in the underground. Not long after recording their half of a split EP with labelmates Training For Utopia
in California, Detar left the group in 1999 to focus his energy on his Pop-Rock side-project The Juliana Theory
, who would sign to Sony and have a successful career before disbanding in 2006.
Scott Mellinger (ex-Creation Is Crucifixion
) joined the band on lead guitar, and Rob Horner came in on bass, before the recording of another landmark metalcore
album, Liberate te ex Inferis
(Latin for "Save Yourself from Hell," a line from the movie "Event Horizon"). Cogdell left the band in 2000 to go to film school. Horner left at the same time, with Weyandt handling bass as well as vocals for a time.
Mellinger, Horner and Smith wrote and recorded all of the music for Zao's fifth album titled (Self-Titled), with Dan coming by for a few days to contribute his lyrics and vocals. The album is notable for Smith's dark pop interludes, the V-Drum
sound and the song "Five Year Winter," which remains a signature Zao song.
Corey Darst replaced Weyandt for the majority of the touring in support of the album, with Horner returning, and second guitarst Matt Auxier joining up. Darst never appeared on a Zao album although this version of the group (Darst, Smith, Mellinger & Horner) did cut a three-song demo during a Seattle tour stop. The group talked about signing with either Sanctuary or Century Media Records, but Zao "broke up" on stage at a December, 2001 show in Pittsburgh (later documented on their DVD). They were supposed to embark on a tour with The Juliana Theory and Weyandt had joined Darst on stage as a special guest, but an incapacitated Jesse Smith couldn't make it through the show and long-brewing tensions boiled over.
Solid State / Tooth & Nail funded the next Zao projects: a brand new album that like Self-Titled featured just Smith, Mellinger & Weyandt called Parade of Chaos
as well as a re-recording of the original Zao's All Else Failed
played by the same trio. In the documentary The Lesser Lights of Heaven, the band disavowed the re-recording, admitting they did it because they were broke and needed fulfill their record contract with Solid State, even though it turned out to be a solid release.
Weyandt, Mellinger, Smith and a returning Cogdell set-out on the "Burn It Down And Walk Away Tour," billed as Zao's "final" tour, with support from special guests Underoath
, Unearth
, Dead Poetic
, and The Underwater. Although technically a tour in support of "Parade Of Chaos" as well, no songs from the album were featured in the set-list.
After the 2002 tour, the group's members focused on other projects, most notably Cogdell & Mellinger's more rock-oriented Jade Meridian and Horner's two-year stint with the Wheeling, West Virginia sci-fi metal band The Minus Tide.
drummer Lance Garvin
filled in for Smith when the rest of the guys couldn't find him for a couple of 2003 festival dates. However, the "Liberate" era lineup reconvened in Greensburg around the promise of a new record label that offered to fund a new Zao album. The label ended up falling apart before a note of music was ever recorded, prompting Smith to reach out to Ferret Music who agreed to sign the band to a two-album deal. After cutting some new demos, Weyandt left the group.
Society's Finest singer Josh Ashworth was asked by Smith to join the group. This version of Zao did a few shows and recorded a couple of songs. However, by the end of 2003, Cogdell & Mellinger realized they did not want to make a Zao record without Dan on vocals. Smith & Horner quit Zao and joined up with Kevin Moran to focus on their new band, Gods. Ashworth stepped aside. With Dan back onboard, the remaining three "core" members recruited the rhythm section from Jade Meridian (bass player Shawn Koschick, drummer Stephen Peck) to round-out the Zao lineup.
In 2004 Zao released "The Funeral Of God" -- a daring concept album that imagined a world where God had chosen to abandon mankind. Ferret advertised the album everywhere, the group made their first music video (for "The Rising End") and went on several tours of the US, resulting in the biggest selling Zao album to date. Though they had played a few shows there before, Zao did their first ever extensive European headlining tour with this lineup.
Shawn told the band he'd be leaving just before the "Praise The War Machine" US headlining tour, 'though he did complete the tour. The soldout show at Glasshouse in Pomona, CA was filmed for the band's in-the-works DVD.
Longtime friend and tour manager Marty Lunn took over the bass position before Zao co-headlined the "City Of Champions" tour with The Juliana Theory. The following year, Stephen Peck told the band he was quitting two weeks before they were set to leave for the UK to tour with Bleeding Through
. Scrambling to find a replacement, the group hired local drummer Jeff Gretz, the first outwardly and outspokenly non-Christian member in the history of the band. The UK tour was followed by the "Strhess Tour" across the US in the summer of 2005 with Bleeding Through, Darkest Hour and Misery Signals
. The Los Angeles and San Diego shows were recorded for the upcoming DVD.
During a handful of dates on Vans Warped Tour that summer, Cogdell aggravated a knee-injury he had sustained doing one of his trademark knee-smashing jumps while filming their music video the year before. He sat out that fall's tour with Dillinger Escape Plan and Every Time I Die
as well as dates with Unearth
and Shadows Fall
before exiting the band officially. That fall saw the release of the two-disc DVD set, "The Lesser Lights Of Heaven."
In January, 2006, Weyandt, Mellinger, Lunn & Gretz traveled to Chicago to record their new album with one of their collective heroes, Steve Albini
. He had recorded some of their favorite albums by Nirvana
and Neurosis
, to name a few. The making of "The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here" was documented for a limited edition DVD.
Directly after recording, Zao hit the road with In Flames
, Trivium
and DevilDriver
. After that, they co-headlined their second "Ferret Music Tour"; they were forced to head home early after Dan severely injured his hand. "The Fear..." was released in June while Zao was on tour with Demon Hunter
. The band filmed a video for "My Love, My Love We've Come Back From The Dead," a self-described "zombie love story," during that tour.
The fall of 2006 saw Zao touring with Throwdown, Evergreen Terrace
and Maylene & The Sons of Disaster. During the tour, Mellinger & Weyandt both agreed that Zao should embark on a long-break after the tour. Eager to continue touring, Gretz left Zao not long after and became the drummer for From Autumn To Ashes
.
In the summer of 2008, Zao played their first show since 2006 with Demon Hunter at Mr. Smalls in Pittsburgh, PA. The lineup for the show was Weyandt, Mellinger, Lunn and Gretz.
In late summer 2008, Zao began recording their new album, Awake?
, with Scott Mellinger, Daniel Castleman and As I Lay Dying
singer Tim Lambesis
co-producing. The band finished vocal recording in November 2008 with engineer Dave Hidek at Treelady Studios, located in Pittsburgh, PA. The band released the album on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records.
Russ Cogdell played pre-Fear material at 2 shows in October in California. It is unclear if he has rejoined the band or not. Zao has also announced they have demoed 11 songs for a new album. It is also unclear when recording and release of this album will be.
Currently they lost the URL to their own site due to the fiasco of their previous label (Ferret/Warner Music) and are rebuilding a new site because they want it to be the main source for anything that has to do with Zao or any of her members, they also pointed out that they feel that all the social sites should be considered extra saying, "Hence, why we aren't too concerned about having all sorts of trinkets and bobbles on this thing anymore."
Among other things in the recent update, the band said they were extremely surprised on how well their last album, Awake? did in the market considering it had no tour support by them and that it was thrown onto Ferret's label in the 11th hour. Zao said the best thing to come out of it is that they learned a lot of the last release and it showed them that fans still enjoy their music and this inspired and motivated them to continue making music.
As it stands now, Zao is currently writing the follow-up to Awake? and will probably self release it because they felt the music industry has failed bands in general and they feel the money that would have been spent on getting the industry's "help," they could turn it around and make it available for future releases by them.
On the writing process for the next album, the band said they are throwing out all writing they have deemed "too standard for Zao" and that they are trying new things and that it's liberating. They have also gone on to state on their Facebook page that Jeff is attempting to decrease the amount of double bass usage on the next album for creative purposes.
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 from Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
, and one of the founding metalcore
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...
groups. Founded in 1993 in Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
, Zao has hosted several musicians and endured numerous roster changes to the point where no original members remain. Former drummer Jesse Smith, singer Daniel Weyandt, and guitarists Scott Mellinger & Russ Cogdell are seen by most fans as the "core" of Zao.
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
has been a key influence in the band's work; because the founding members claimed to have a strong relationship with God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, they were considered a devoted Christian band, which changed as time passed. Former drummer Jesse Smith slowly changed the band's vision. Because only half the band's members identified themselves as Christians, Zao no longer considered itself a Christian band but rather a group of open-minded artists. Lyrics in future productions may or may not include Christian messages, but Zao has stated they would love to return to the Christian Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
.
To date, Zao has completed ten full-length albums, three EPs
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, a two-disc DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
documentary and multiple concert tours, garnering a limited but global fanbase and earning critical praise in the process.
The First Era (1993–1997)
Founding members were vocalist Eric Reeder, guitarist Roy Goudy, bassist Mic Cox, and drummer Jesse Smith. The band's name comes from the GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word (ζάω), which means "alive" or "to have life". Zao vocalist Eric Reeder has been credited with coming up with the band's name. Calling their sound "Christ-centered hardcore", they sought to reach an audience that they felt has been pushed away from the organized church. Most of their early songs, which appeared on their first two full-length albums, All Else Failed and The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation (which saw the band re-recording much of the "All Else Failed" material), contained explicit references to God and centered on the theme of the peace of God. Reeder left before Zao recorded All Else Failed and was replaced by Shawn Jonas, who went on to form Symphony in Peril. Jonas left the band after recording one album and is now a youth pastor at New Life Church in West Virginia; original bassist Mic Cox left the band, and Kevin Moran took his place. Ron Gray also joined the band as a second guitarist after the recording of The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation. All of the band members, except for drummer Jesse Smith, quit Zao following the 1997 Cornerstone festival and a couple of shows they played on the way back home.
The Second Era (1998–2002)
In 1998 Smith recruited Brett Detar, guitarist of Pennsylvania Christian emocore band Pensive, to help him build a new incarnation of Zao. Detar suggested a pair of his friends, guitarist Russ Cogdell and enigmatic writer / poet (and future tattoo artist) Daniel Weyandt. Both Cogdell and Weyandt had played in Christian Hardcore band Seasons in the Field, who had released a split EP with Pensive. Smith would drive several hours to Greensburg, where all these new members lived, to co-write and rehearse what would become the first (and in many ways, defining) album from the new Zao, Where Blood and Fire Bring RestWhere Blood and Fire Bring Rest
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest is the third full length album released by metalcore band Zao on Solid State / Tooth & Nail Records. It was the first album to feature vocalist Dan Weyandt after the departure of Shawn Jonas along with new bassists/guitarists, Russ Cogdell and Brett Detar...
. The group played fewer and fewer songs from the old version of the band as Blood and Fire took hold. They toured without a bassist and set stages ablaze with their raw emotion and Weyandt's personal storytelling, which detailed the hardships that informed their songs. With a rockabilly look and Smith's oddly engaging habit of setting up his drums facing away from the audience, their live reputation grew large in the underground. Not long after recording their half of a split EP with labelmates Training For Utopia
Training for Utopia
Training for Utopia was a metalcore band which existed from 1996–2000. The band first signed with Tooth & Nail Records and was later moved to Solid State Records, the Tooth & Nail sublabel which promotes heavy Christian music...
in California, Detar left the group in 1999 to focus his energy on his Pop-Rock side-project 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...
, who would sign to Sony and have a successful career before disbanding in 2006.
Scott Mellinger (ex-Creation Is Crucifixion
Creation Is Crucifixion
Creation Is Crucifixion is a mathcore band that was formed in early 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band was known for its complicated sound, which varied from ambient noise to more complex pieces...
) joined the band on lead guitar, and Rob Horner came in on bass, before the recording of another landmark metalcore
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...
album, Liberate te ex Inferis
Liberate Te Ex Inferis
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...
(Latin for "Save Yourself from Hell," a line from the movie "Event Horizon"). Cogdell left the band in 2000 to go to film school. Horner left at the same time, with Weyandt handling bass as well as vocals for a time.
Mellinger, Horner and Smith wrote and recorded all of the music for Zao's fifth album titled (Self-Titled), with Dan coming by for a few days to contribute his lyrics and vocals. The album is notable for Smith's dark pop interludes, the V-Drum
Roland V-Drums
V-Drum is a trademarked umbrella term for a variety of electronic drums, drum brain modules, and related electronic percussion product manufactured and trademarked by Roland Corporation....
sound and the song "Five Year Winter," which remains a signature Zao song.
Corey Darst replaced Weyandt for the majority of the touring in support of the album, with Horner returning, and second guitarst Matt Auxier joining up. Darst never appeared on a Zao album although this version of the group (Darst, Smith, Mellinger & Horner) did cut a three-song demo during a Seattle tour stop. The group talked about signing with either Sanctuary or Century Media Records, but Zao "broke up" on stage at a December, 2001 show in Pittsburgh (later documented on their DVD). They were supposed to embark on a tour with The Juliana Theory and Weyandt had joined Darst on stage as a special guest, but an incapacitated Jesse Smith couldn't make it through the show and long-brewing tensions boiled over.
Solid State / Tooth & Nail funded the next Zao projects: a brand new album that like Self-Titled featured just Smith, Mellinger & Weyandt called Parade of Chaos
Parade of Chaos
Parade of Chaos is the sixth full length album released by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 10, 2002 by SolidState/Tooth & Nail/EMI Records. This album was recorded similarly to that of Self - Titled with Scott and Jesse writing in the studio and Dan being absent until time to record vocals...
as well as a re-recording of the original Zao's All Else Failed
All Else Failed (2003 album)
All Else Failed is a 2003 album by the metalcore band Zao, released on February 19, 2003 by Solid State/Tooth & Nail/EMI Records. It features newly recorded versions of eight of ten tracks from their original titled debut album, All Else Failed . The recording was done during the same session as...
played by the same trio. In the documentary The Lesser Lights of Heaven, the band disavowed the re-recording, admitting they did it because they were broke and needed fulfill their record contract with Solid State, even though it turned out to be a solid release.
Weyandt, Mellinger, Smith and a returning Cogdell set-out on the "Burn It Down And Walk Away Tour," billed as Zao's "final" tour, with support from special guests Underoath
Underoath
Underoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
, Unearth
Unearth
Unearth is an American metalcore band from Winthrop, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released five studio albums. Their fourth record, The March was released on October 14, 2008 meeting with high positive reception by many...
, Dead Poetic
Dead Poetic
Dead Poetic was a post-hardcore band from Dayton, Ohio. They were signed to Tooth & Nail until 2008 when the band went on hiatus and the label dropped them. Their third album, Vices was released Halloween of 2006. It features vocal contributions by Chino Moreno of the band Deftones...
, and The Underwater. Although technically a tour in support of "Parade Of Chaos" as well, no songs from the album were featured in the set-list.
After the 2002 tour, the group's members focused on other projects, most notably Cogdell & Mellinger's more rock-oriented Jade Meridian and Horner's two-year stint with the Wheeling, West Virginia sci-fi metal band The Minus Tide.
The Third Era (2003–2006)
Living SacrificeLiving Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice is a Christian heavy metal band that formed in September 1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. The band has released seven studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal...
drummer Lance Garvin
Lance Garvin
Lance Garvin is a founding member of the well known and highly influential Christian metal band Living Sacrifice. The band is well known throughout the Christian metal community as one of the most important Christian metal bands to date...
filled in for Smith when the rest of the guys couldn't find him for a couple of 2003 festival dates. However, the "Liberate" era lineup reconvened in Greensburg around the promise of a new record label that offered to fund a new Zao album. The label ended up falling apart before a note of music was ever recorded, prompting Smith to reach out to Ferret Music who agreed to sign the band to a two-album deal. After cutting some new demos, Weyandt left the group.
Society's Finest singer Josh Ashworth was asked by Smith to join the group. This version of Zao did a few shows and recorded a couple of songs. However, by the end of 2003, Cogdell & Mellinger realized they did not want to make a Zao record without Dan on vocals. Smith & Horner quit Zao and joined up with Kevin Moran to focus on their new band, Gods. Ashworth stepped aside. With Dan back onboard, the remaining three "core" members recruited the rhythm section from Jade Meridian (bass player Shawn Koschick, drummer Stephen Peck) to round-out the Zao lineup.
In 2004 Zao released "The Funeral Of God" -- a daring concept album that imagined a world where God had chosen to abandon mankind. Ferret advertised the album everywhere, the group made their first music video (for "The Rising End") and went on several tours of the US, resulting in the biggest selling Zao album to date. Though they had played a few shows there before, Zao did their first ever extensive European headlining tour with this lineup.
Shawn told the band he'd be leaving just before the "Praise The War Machine" US headlining tour, 'though he did complete the tour. The soldout show at Glasshouse in Pomona, CA was filmed for the band's in-the-works DVD.
Longtime friend and tour manager Marty Lunn took over the bass position before Zao co-headlined the "City Of Champions" tour with The Juliana Theory. The following year, Stephen Peck told the band he was quitting two weeks before they were set to leave for the UK to tour with Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1999, the band blends influences stemming from modern hardcore punk, symphonic black metal, and melodic death metal...
. Scrambling to find a replacement, the group hired local drummer Jeff Gretz, the first outwardly and outspokenly non-Christian member in the history of the band. The UK tour was followed by the "Strhess Tour" across the US in the summer of 2005 with Bleeding Through, Darkest Hour and Misery Signals
Misery Signals
Misery Signals is an American metalcore band formed in Wisconsin in 2002. The sound of their music is defined by bright melodies backed up by odd time signatures, chugging riffs, and breakdowns.-Formation :...
. The Los Angeles and San Diego shows were recorded for the upcoming DVD.
During a handful of dates on Vans Warped Tour that summer, Cogdell aggravated a knee-injury he had sustained doing one of his trademark knee-smashing jumps while filming their music video the year before. He sat out that fall's tour with Dillinger Escape Plan and Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die is a metalcore band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1998. Their musical style is rooted in technical hardcore with strong southern metal and mathcore elements, and is also characterised by their cryptic, bitingly sarcastic lyrics. The band announced on July 14, 2008 that they had...
as well as dates with Unearth
Unearth
Unearth is an American metalcore band from Winthrop, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released five studio albums. Their fourth record, The March was released on October 14, 2008 meeting with high positive reception by many...
and Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
before exiting the band officially. That fall saw the release of the two-disc DVD set, "The Lesser Lights Of Heaven."
In January, 2006, Weyandt, Mellinger, Lunn & Gretz traveled to Chicago to record their new album with one of their collective heroes, Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
. He had recorded some of their favorite albums by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and Neurosis
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
, to name a few. The making of "The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here" was documented for a limited edition DVD.
Directly after recording, Zao hit the road with In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, Trivium
Trivium (band)
Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...
and DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
. After that, they co-headlined their second "Ferret Music Tour"; they were forced to head home early after Dan severely injured his hand. "The Fear..." was released in June while Zao was on tour with Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. All of Demon Hunter's members are Christians and express their love for Jesus in many of their songs. Although the brothers created the band, only one remains, Don Clark...
. The band filmed a video for "My Love, My Love We've Come Back From The Dead," a self-described "zombie love story," during that tour.
The fall of 2006 saw Zao touring with Throwdown, Evergreen Terrace
Evergreen Terrace
Evergreen Terrace is a five-piece melodic hardcore/metalcore band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1999, they are named after the street on which The Simpsons claim residence...
and Maylene & The Sons of Disaster. During the tour, Mellinger & Weyandt both agreed that Zao should embark on a long-break after the tour. Eager to continue touring, Gretz left Zao not long after and became the drummer for From Autumn To Ashes
From Autumn to Ashes
From Autumn to Ashes was a NY melodic hardcore band that formed in Long Island in 2000. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark , Scott Gross , Benjamin Perri , Brian Deneeve , Mike Pilato , Rob Lauritsen , and Jeff Gretz From Autumn to Ashes was a NY...
.
The Fourth Era (2007–2009)
On January 23, 2007 Zao announced in a lengthy statement that Russ Cogdell had rejoined the band after recovering from his knee surgery. Zao stated also that they would not fill the drum position officially, but rather, ex-Juliana Theory drummer Josh Walters would fill-in if/when the band next appeared live. The band said they had completed their two-album deal with Ferret Music but did not say who would be releasing their next album. There is no news on whether they intend to re-sign to Ferret or seek a new label. Not long after the statement was released, the band said that Walters would in fact not be performing with them. A local friend named Dean Minerva was said to be their new fill-in drummer although he never ended up recording or performing with the band.In the summer of 2008, Zao played their first show since 2006 with Demon Hunter at Mr. Smalls in Pittsburgh, PA. The lineup for the show was Weyandt, Mellinger, Lunn and Gretz.
In late summer 2008, Zao began recording their new album, Awake?
AWAKE? (Zao Album)
Awake? is the ninth studio album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records. It contains 9 new tracks and a re-recording of the track Romance of the Southern Spirit. Only 8,000 physical copies of the album were made...
, with Scott Mellinger, Daniel Castleman and As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
singer Tim Lambesis
Tim Lambesis
Tim Lambesis is an American musician, best known as the founding member, lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also has a solo/side project in tribute to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian Death Machine, in which he performs all the required instruments...
co-producing. The band finished vocal recording in November 2008 with engineer Dave Hidek at Treelady Studios, located in Pittsburgh, PA. The band released the album on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records.
Russ Cogdell played pre-Fear material at 2 shows in October in California. It is unclear if he has rejoined the band or not. Zao has also announced they have demoed 11 songs for a new album. It is also unclear when recording and release of this album will be.
The Fifth Era (2010–Present)
The band recently took to the web updating the world on the status of the band, as it stands, ZAO is Daniel Weyandt, Scott Mellinger, Russ Cogdell, Marty Lunn and Jeff Gretz.Currently they lost the URL to their own site due to the fiasco of their previous label (Ferret/Warner Music) and are rebuilding a new site because they want it to be the main source for anything that has to do with Zao or any of her members, they also pointed out that they feel that all the social sites should be considered extra saying, "Hence, why we aren't too concerned about having all sorts of trinkets and bobbles on this thing anymore."
Among other things in the recent update, the band said they were extremely surprised on how well their last album, Awake? did in the market considering it had no tour support by them and that it was thrown onto Ferret's label in the 11th hour. Zao said the best thing to come out of it is that they learned a lot of the last release and it showed them that fans still enjoy their music and this inspired and motivated them to continue making music.
As it stands now, Zao is currently writing the follow-up to Awake? and will probably self release it because they felt the music industry has failed bands in general and they feel the money that would have been spent on getting the industry's "help," they could turn it around and make it available for future releases by them.
On the writing process for the next album, the band said they are throwing out all writing they have deemed "too standard for Zao" and that they are trying new things and that it's liberating. They have also gone on to state on their Facebook page that Jeff is attempting to decrease the amount of double bass usage on the next album for creative purposes.
Current members
- Daniel Weyandt (1997–current) – lead vocals
- Scott Mellinger (1999–current) – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/backup vocals - Russ Cogdell (1997–2000, 2002–2008, 2010-current) – guitar
- Jeff Gretz (2005–current) – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Marty Lunn (2005–current) – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Former members
- Eric Reeder (1993–1995) – vocals
- Roy Goudy (1993–1997) – guitar
- Mic Cox (1993–1997) – bass
- Jesse Smith (1993–2004) – drums
- Shawn Jonas (1995–1997) – vocals
- Ron Gray (1997–1998) – guitar
- Kevin Moran (1997–1998) – bass
- Brett DetarBrett DetarBrett 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...
(1997–1999) – guitar - Rob Horner (1999–2004) – bass
- Shawn Koschik (2004–2005) – bass
- Stephen Peck (2004–2005) – drums
Touring
- Corey Darst (2000–2001) – touring vocals
- Matt Auxier (2000–2001) – touring guitar
- Joshua Ashworth (2003–2004) – touring vocals
- Lance Garvin (2003)- fill-in drums
- Quinton Seiter (1997) – touring bass
Studio albums
- 1995: All Else Failed (1995 album)All Else Failed (1995 album)All Else Failed is the debut album by Zao. The album was later re-recorded and released as the identically titled, All Else Failed .This album on Steadfast Records has had 3 pressings in total, with different cover art for each pressing....
- 1997: The Splinter Shards the Birth of SeparationThe Splinter Shards the Birth of SeparationThe Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation is the second full length release by hardcore band Zao. Released on Tooth & Nail Records on April 1, 1997....
- 1998: Where Blood and Fire Bring RestWhere Blood and Fire Bring RestWhere Blood and Fire Bring Rest is the third full length album released by metalcore band Zao on Solid State / Tooth & Nail Records. It was the first album to feature vocalist Dan Weyandt after the departure of Shawn Jonas along with new bassists/guitarists, Russ Cogdell and Brett Detar...
- 1998: Training for Utopia / Zao split EP with Training for UtopiaTraining for UtopiaTraining for Utopia was a metalcore band which existed from 1996–2000. The band first signed with Tooth & Nail Records and was later moved to Solid State Records, the Tooth & Nail sublabel which promotes heavy Christian music...
- 1999: Liberate Te Ex InferisLiberate Te Ex InferisLiberate 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...
- 2001: (Self-Titled)
- 2002: Parade of ChaosParade of ChaosParade of Chaos is the sixth full length album released by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 10, 2002 by SolidState/Tooth & Nail/EMI Records. This album was recorded similarly to that of Self - Titled with Scott and Jesse writing in the studio and Dan being absent until time to record vocals...
- 2003: All Else Failed (2003 album)All Else Failed (2003 album)All Else Failed is a 2003 album by the metalcore band Zao, released on February 19, 2003 by Solid State/Tooth & Nail/EMI Records. It features newly recorded versions of eight of ten tracks from their original titled debut album, All Else Failed . The recording was done during the same session as...
- 2004: The Funeral of GodThe Funeral of GodThe Funeral of God is the seventh full-length album by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 13, 2004 on Ferret Records and on July 12, 2004 on Roadrunner and Ferret Records . Saw the return of guitarist, Russ Cogdell, and the addition of bassist Shawn Koschik and drummer Stephen Peck after the...
- 2006: The Fear Is What Keeps Us HereThe Fear Is What Keeps Us HereThe Fear is What Keeps Us Here is the eighth full length album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on June 13, 2006 on Ferret Records in the US and on June 12, 2006 in Europe. The album showcases the addition of drummer Jeff Gretz and bassist Martin Lunn...
- 2009: AWAKE?AWAKE? (Zao Album)Awake? is the ninth studio album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records. It contains 9 new tracks and a re-recording of the track Romance of the Southern Spirit. Only 8,000 physical copies of the album were made...
Vinyl
- 1995: The Ties That Bind
- 1996: Treadwater
- 1997: The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation
- 1998: Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest
Other Songs
- Black Coffee: A cover of a Black FlagBlack Flag (band)Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
song on Black on Black: a Tribute to Black Flag and also on the Japanese release of The Fear Is What Keeps Us HereThe Fear Is What Keeps Us HereThe Fear is What Keeps Us Here is the eighth full length album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on June 13, 2006 on Ferret Records in the US and on June 12, 2006 in Europe. The album showcases the addition of drummer Jeff Gretz and bassist Martin Lunn... - The Romance of the Southern Spirit: On the Japanese release of "The Funeral of GodThe Funeral of GodThe Funeral of God is the seventh full-length album by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 13, 2004 on Ferret Records and on July 12, 2004 on Roadrunner and Ferret Records . Saw the return of guitarist, Russ Cogdell, and the addition of bassist Shawn Koschik and drummer Stephen Peck after the...
" - Sancho/Crimson Kroll
- Within a Dream
- 21st Century Thriller: Recorded with Joshua Ashworth vocals for 2003 demo, later re-recorded with different lyrics for The Funeral of God as "The Rising End (The First Prophecy)"
- She's Not Leaving, She's Not Breathing: Recorded with Joshua Ashworth vocals for 2003 demo, later re-recorded with different lyrics for The Funeral of God as "Praise The War Machine"
Other releases
- 2004: Legendary
- 2005: The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD
Compilations Zao is featured on
- A testament to broken walls-Sancho (previously unreleased, features Self-titled lineup, later rerecorded with Corey Darst as "The Icarus Complex")
- Black on Black: A Tribute to Black FlagBlack on Black: A Tribute to Black FlagBlack on Black: A Tribute to Black Flag is a tribute album to the defunct American hardcore punk band Black Flag. The album was originally released through Initial Records on October 8, 2002...
- Black Coffee (Previously Unreleased) - Music On The Brain Vol. 2 (Smartpunk) - The Rising End (The First Prophecy)
- Point Break Vol. 1 - Angel Without Wings
- Progression Through Aggression Vol. 2 - The Last Revelation (The Last Prophecy)
- Songs From The Penalty Box - Exchange
- Songs From The Penalty Box Vol. 2 - A Fall Farewell
- This is Solid State Vol. 1 - To Think of You is to Treasure an Absent Memory
- This is Solid State Vol. 2 - Trashcanhands (Keyboard Coward)
- This is Solid State Vol. 3 - The Icarus Complex
- This is Solid State Vol. 4 - Resistance
- Tooth & Nail 10th Anniversary Box Set
- (disc 1) Ravage Ritual
- (disc 2) Savannah
- (disc 4) 5 Year Winter
- (disc 5) Parade of Chaos
- Tooth & Nail 4th Anniversary Box Set
- (disc 4) Repressed
- Van's Warped Tour '05 - The Rising End (The First Prophecy)
- What on Earth?! Compilation
- Cheapskates- Harder Side - Circle II The Lustful: If These Scars Could Speak
- New Shit Vol. 10 - The Rising End (The First Prophecy)
- Razor: Music From The Cutting Edge (Vol. 7) - The Rising End (The First Prophecy)
- Under the Gun DVD - The Rising End (The First Prophecy)
- The Best of Taste of Chaos Vol. 2 - Physician Heal Thyself
Videos
- "The Rising End (The First Prophecy)" from The Funeral of GodThe Funeral of GodThe Funeral of God is the seventh full-length album by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 13, 2004 on Ferret Records and on July 12, 2004 on Roadrunner and Ferret Records . Saw the return of guitarist, Russ Cogdell, and the addition of bassist Shawn Koschik and drummer Stephen Peck after the...
(2004) - "My Love, My Love (We've Come Back From the Dead)" from The Fear Is What Keeps Us HereThe Fear Is What Keeps Us HereThe Fear is What Keeps Us Here is the eighth full length album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on June 13, 2006 on Ferret Records in the US and on June 12, 2006 in Europe. The album showcases the addition of drummer Jeff Gretz and bassist Martin Lunn...
(2006)
External links
- Zao's Label - Ferret Records
- Zao at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Zao fan wiki