Since Zello must be a completely unknown band to the vast majority of  melodic Rock fans, let's begin from the basis: This album is not a fresh debut release, as many might suppose. Lion Music re-releases the band's same titled debut album from 1996, originally released under the Perpetuam Memoriam label, while it is said that Zello recorded a second album in 1999 entitled Quodibet for the Musea label. Never seen it, can't judge it...
Zello come from Sweden and feature vocalist Pello Saether, previously known through his work with MacBeth and Glory. The band recorded their same titled debut with no guitar parts, organs fully participating. Thus, this re-release features full guitar work. Having a little bit memory of the original release, First Chapter, Second Verse is an album that could easily be categorized under the symphonic progressive rock genre, bringing in mind the works of legends like Kansas (their 70s releases, mainly). Yes, the critical point is Lennart Glenberg's violin performance throughout the entire CD, with technical skills similar to Robbie Steinhardts. Yet, noone can accuse Zello of being false imitators of the US prog Rock pioneers, since the band seems to be wanting to mark their own path evolving various Scandinavian elements (check Sather's vocal harmonies).
The guitar update by Janne Stark (ex-Locomotive Breath) seems to be getting on well with the rest of the band's performance, since it supplies a harder approach plus it sometimes contradicts fine with Lennart's violin. Two extra songs plus a live cut of the opener  Hold On  have been added to this album, whose production clearly leans on the successful recipe of multi-channel recording for a more distinct sound, overall pushing the players' atmosphere.
Two paths emerge for an outro: For the (few, indeed) fans that are aware of Zello's debut back in 1996 this re-release will surely make them wonder why the band recorded the album without guitars in the first place (count me in...). For anyone hearing the band's name for the first time, it definitely is worth checking First Chapter, Second Verse if you're into Prog Hard Rock, NOT the US way (yet, as said, with basic standards followed).