When sitting down to write this review, I glanced at the insert that accompanied the promo.
It read, "With their fifth studio album, Zero Hour creates a dark, heavy vibe, expressed
through intricate arrangements, forceful vocals and meaningful lyrics." Typically, these
inserts tend to blow a lot of smoke up one's ass. In this case, though, I should really just
stop writing, as many readers appreciate brevity and this is a very astute assessment of this
album. However, I promised USA Prog Music I would give my opinion on such albums, so I
had best provide some original insight.
My initial reaction after hearing Dark Deceiver was "who pissed these guys off?" While Zero
Hour has always created dark music, Dark Deceiver contains some of the band's heaviest
and most aggressive tracks to date. Dark Deceiver wastes no time getting down to
business, as "The Power to Believe" kicks off the heaviness with the Tipton's signature
weaving of brutality and beauty. The title track keeps the momentum going by opening with
a heavy, chugging riff before exploding into the Tipton brothers' intricate, sonic assault.
From Jasun's insane sweeps to Mike and Troy's thunderous rhythms and all the Chris
Salinas you can handle, "Inner Spirit", at nearly 12 minutes, displays everything Zero Hour
has to offer.
The second half of the album starts with "Tendonitis", a mind-boggling bass instrumental
by Troy Tipton. I have listened to this solo countless times now and I'm convinced that Troy
has at least 20+ fingers. "The Temple Within" is one of the most dynamic tracks on Dark
Deceiver. It starts with the Tiptons' usual twisting melodies and Mike's pummeling
contributions before dropping out to let Chris close out the song with a strong, emotive
vocal. The 1-2 punch that is "Lies" and "The Power of Words" brings back the aggression
displayed earlier on the album and turns it up to 11. Closer "Severed Angels" is a short
instrumental that completely decimates the listener with its combination of quiet passages
and machine gun hammering.
Throughout the album, the Tipton brothers display their usual brilliance knowing exactly
when to dazzle and where to fall back and let the vocals deliver. Also, Mike Guy is perfection
personified behind a drum kit with his hammering kicks, perfectly placed fills, and skillful
cymbal work. With all that is going on with each instrument, it is amazing that nothing ever
feels jumbled or forced. Instead, each complex performance comes together nicely in a
very enjoyable package. Finally, the talents of Chris Salinas displayed on Dark Deceiver are
unbelievable, as he ranges from his lower register to his soaring wails and eventually his
perfect mid-range vocals. Zero Hour's decision to hand him the mic is only further solidified
on this release.
A final nod must be given to Dino Alden and Zero Hour, who collaborated on Specs of
Pictures Burned Beyond, for the super tight, punchy production on the album. This sound
definitely suits the music while still allowing the listener to access each individual
instrument throughout the recording. The result is an uber-technical album that is
appreciable through either headphones or a stereo. Whereas the music of many technical
bands ends up turning into a wall of noise once outside the confines of a good pair of
headphones, this is not the case on Dark Deceiver.
So what's the verdict?
With its complex rhythms and technical brilliance, Dark Deceiver is everything we have
come to expect from Zero Hour. My advice: leave now and go purchase this.
usa prog music |5/5 |
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