Z-Lot-Z - Z-Lot-Z '92


Year of Release: 2000
Label: Molten Metal USA
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 28:49:00

This band really means what they say in the title. This is a 28:00, 6-song EP that was actually recorded back in 1992, and now released on the Molten Metal label in 2000. That might seem a bit odd for a band to do, but the songs are done well enough not only to release them so far off since their writing, but also the songs should serve to bring some attention to this melodic metal band with strong 80's sounds.

Armed with a twin guitar attack, super catchy melodies, some strings here and there, and a superb vocalist, this band tears some pages out of the Dokken / Lynch Mob book of melodic hard rock / metal, and serves up some nice, catchy melodic hooks 80's style. Lots of bands are still into the 80's sound, and with good reason. Metal had its decade in the 80's, but there is no reason not to keep the metal alive in the 90's and beyond if it's played well and it's powerful enough to hold the interest of the weary 80's listener who may have moved on to newer pastures (the writer included).

Included are the obligatory ballads that made the 80's so famous as well as the super catchy riffs that this band seems to love to thrive on. Fortunately the band is tight enough and crisp enough to pull this off without making the listener think he / she has already down this road many times before - in addition, the great melodic voice of Tom Calandra is just about worth the price of this mini-disc. He sounds like a cross between maybe a Geoff Tate in his higher range, some Dokken, and maybe some Oni Logan of The Lynch Mob.

The production is superb, reminiscent of the late, great 80's bands (like Dokken), who gave us superb sound in their time as well.

You can't help but wander down memory lane when the band kicks open the disc with "The Shadow", making you reach for your air guitar and longing for your super-long hair you had back then, wishing you could throw it from side to side in unison with the music. Speaking of "The Shadow," the band adds in a CD-ROM video of "The Shadow" as a bonus, and I wish more bands did this for their fans. It gives you an idea of what this band can do in a live setting. The picture and sound are superb on the CD-vid as well.

If you don't mind taking that walk down memory lane courtesy of the 80's melodic metal scene, this band should do the trick for you easily. I haven't heard any of their previous material, but this disc makes it easy to want to check out anything this band has done previously.


Tracklisting:
The Shadow / Who's the Believer? / The Road To Nowhere / Lonely Is The Hunter / Shelter / In My Heart

Musicians:
Tom Calandra - vocals
Gregg Gill - guitar
Eric Halpern - guitar
Shane Dubose - bass
Van Eric Turner - drums

Discography:
Z Lot Z '92 (ep) (1992/2000)
Tearing At Your Mind (1994/2003)
Soul Existence (1998)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: June 11th 2000
Reviewer: Larry "LarryD" Daglieri

Artist website: www.z-lot-z.net
Hits: 2706
Language: english

  

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