Zero Hour live in a parallel universe, a dimension where all rules of nature are sadistically ignored, a place reigned by the Nightmare King. One day the King ordered Zero Hour to start writing music so he can give a sonic vision of his dark twisted mind to all the world. Somehow since then all the musical efforts of Zero Hour have manage to reach our dimension as well. Many claimed this being just another trick of the nightmare King to expand his reign upon the mortals universe but none can tell for sure if this is real.
Yeah I know my intro was quite dramatic but how on planet Earth can I start a review about a band like Zero Hour? Once a friend ask me to describe the band's Towers Of Avarice album with one word. He thought it would take me a lifetime and a day to describe an album with just one word. He was wrong; it took me less than 10 second to do so. The word I used was awe.
A Fragile Mind. Maybe the musicians describe their state of mind with the title of the new album. And who can blame them? I mean if they claim insanity as we speak, I will believe them 100%. So how can I describe this album to a music lover that has never listened any material from this band by doing comparisons with other acts? Well, lets see... imagine this: the complexity of Watchtower / Sieges Even (and generally any band that doesn't believe that a song must have a certain pattern in its structure). The power deriving from bands like Nevermore (Dreaming Neon Black & Dead Heart In A Dead World Era). A vocalist so powerful and so emotional at the same time that could easily be mentioned as the new Geoff Tate. All these blended with bombastic and incredible artwork by none other than Mr. Travis Smith.
Now let's get down to earth a bit. Compared with their previous albums, A Fragile Mind can be considered a more straight forward attempt by the band. A nice example of that is the opener There For Me that could easily be included in less technical but in the same vain acts like Nevermore. Don't be fooled however: this is the only one of the couple songs that can be described as simple (heaven forbid). The album is full or railroad riffs, drum breaks, really obscure time patterns and generally anything that could make the head of a less devoted metal fan explode.
I don't like saying this but at times it is quite obvious: bands like Zero Hour are destined to be worshiped by a small group of tormented but devoted fans. And trust me: only the devoted know the cost of their acts. This unseen to the public eye metal elite will always laugh in the face of what is considered mainstream or what labels promotes as good music in general.
Zero Hour is not for the faint hearted. You have been warned.