PERFECT ZERO is a Rock band based out of Seattle, WA with influences ranging from Progressive Metal to synthesizer-driven video game and film scores. Since releasing the album "Embrace Eternity," the band has reportedly disbanded. The album contains five tracks. "Overture" opens the album, and is the longest song on the album, at close to seven minutes. Instrumental synths seem to pop up out of nowhere, with a slightly Eastern tinge to them, while soft piano notes hold the track together. It builds a pretty sound, as guitar joins the fold. Eerie keyboards hit along with the guitar and drums, and it's a wild ride from there. The sound turns harrowing and Death Metal vocals rear their head. Contrasting clean vocals come into play, but probably would have sounded a better as harmonized parts. By themselves, they sound a bit thin.

"Beneath the Surface" is rousing from the start, with a fast pace and easy listening riff. The Death vocals are a bit amateur sounding, never quite reaching full effect, and the cleans can be a little pitchy at times. It's an inexperience band so this is to be expected. Sometimes they seem to lose their sense of song structure as well, but the effort and sense of adventure is noteworthy. The melody shines brightly at the guitar solo section and leaves me with a smile. The ending however brilliant...how well is fades out. "Embrace Eternity" opens with some energy fueled by guitars and keys and opposing clean and Death vocals. The song wanders as times and can be hard to follow. I love the keyboard solo but the riffing is just too average here.

"Biomechanical" features some twin guitar riffing in the beginning, along with some keys. The Death vocals hit and the sound transforms. The vocals are stronger here as is the entire song. They are able to follow a main melody line and introduce other elements here to support it. A clean vocal passage precedes a guitar solo section with some electronica. It segues into "Nocturne of Memories." Starting off slowly, with a haze of effects and a pulsing electronic sound in the background, it moves forward quickly with a bevy of Death Metal vocals, followed by cleans. If the Death vocals were a bit thicker, it could really help shape the sound here. The electronic elements just after the half-way mark are nice. They are not afraid to experiment, and I laud the effort.

They are so close to having something really special here. Too bad, because they are now defunct, and we will never hear their realized potential. As a first effort, it has moments of brilliance and if some of the turns went other ways you could really hear that they were onto something. As it is, it has potential, and I appreciate the diversity of sound here. They pull no punches...they just need a little more time together as a band which they won't get.