Heyo, Here’s a New Song by Zao

Update, 208pm EDT: MS Mansion Monkey Higgins just informed me that Emperor Rhombus already covered this track last Thursday when Axl and I were out. Whoops. Enjoy the extra plug, Zao!

Original Post:

I’ve been incredibly pleased with Zao’s direction in recent years. They’re the rare band that truly improves upon their craft and boldly pushes it forward with each release WELL into their career instead of just repeating different versions of the same thing over and over. Maybe it’s that whole not-trying-to-make-a-living-doing-this thing that allows them more artistic freedom? I think there’s certainly an argument to be made for that.

Zao will put out a split with Yashira later this month, and they’ve just released “Hide from the Light,” their side of the 7″. It’s got plenty of that modern-day Zao feel, with dissonant, skronky riffs simultaneously rooted in both post-hardcore and prog, as well as a sense of melody I can’t recall hearing in any Zao material of late. There’s even a trace of black metal frostiness. I dig it through and through!

The Zao/Yashira split will be released digitally on September 21st via Mind Over Matter with a physical 7″ to follow. Zao have a new full-length album planned for 2019 as well.

[via The PRP]