Release
date: October 27th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD
Ethos,
Pathos, Logos – Tracklisting
1.The
Stone
2.Riverchrist
3.Sin
Eater
4.The
Breach
5.Jettatura
6.Infernal
Liturgy 02:42
7.Turmoil
8.Rubic(On)
The Styx
9.Earth'd
10.Server,
Seer, Soothsayer
11.Tabula
Rasa
Members
Colin
Bolger / Pancho O Meara / Tom Woodlock / Alan Hanlon
Review
zhOra's
new album - Ethos, Pathos, Logos - is a very hard album to describe.
Firmly rooted within the Progressive Sludge Metal world. The band
plays many different styles of Rock/Metal on this album.
Opening
track - The Stone - opens with a cool psychedelic sound before zhOra
explode into a more experimental progressive sludge sound. It has
quite a jazz like feel with the vocals flirting between clean styles
and harsher based growls. The song maybe too jarring and experimental
for the casual listener and is perhaps to be enjoyed by the more
experienced and dedicated sludge metal fan.
Second
track - Riverchrist - carries on the experimental sound but with a
heavier sludge and almost death metal style approach. Gojira and
Mastodon progressive style sounds don't always fully work but zhOra
still manage to create some spectacular messed up sounds of their
own. The atmosphere of the album becomes doomier with psychedelic
noises making a welcome appearance.
The
other songs on the album follow the same destructive path with zhOra
showing elements of traditional based Rock/Metal melodies to lighten
up the mood. Though only for a brief moment between the heavy and
experimental carnage. Songs such as Sin Eater, The Breach, Infernal
Liturgy, Turmoil and the two superb final songs - Server, Seer,
Soothsayer and Tabula Rosa perhaps offer the most craziest and
standout moments on the album.
With
zhOra still not settling for a conventional sound. The instrumental
work is without doubt the strongest aspect of the entire album. With
the band offering a musical masterclass for anyone brave enough to
listen. The music is heavy and dynamic with experimentation being the
main focus here. The band explore as many different genres they can
lay their hands on and you have to give them credit for trying to
include moments of Psychedelic/Spaced Out Rock within the confines of
their progressively heavy sludge based madness. The album doesn't
make sense when you first listen to it. As the album takes the
listener down a very complex musical path.
The
fantastic lyrics have a Mastodon feel to them. Slightly influenced by
Crack The Skye at times. The production is first rate with the album
being loud and violent from the start. Ethos, Pathos, Logos is the
sort of album that Mastodon should be making instead of their more
commercially friendly sludge rock sound. zhOra have released an album
that is not your usual progressive sludge sounding album.
The
band takes many risks on this album and to be fair whilst the
majority of these risks Ethos, Pathos, Logos pay off huge dividends
for the band. The only issues with the album I have for is when zhOra
opt for a quieter style of music. The flow of the album feels forced
at times. Though zhOra never stay fully quiet for long and soon
return to playing their more addictive and heavier experimental
sludge based riffs.
Overall,
zhOra have created a truly exciting and weirdly addictive progressive
sounding album that will leave you wanting more.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Lisa at Hold
Tight PR for the promo. Ethos, Pathos, Logos will be available to buy
on CD/DD from October 27th 2017.
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