ZERO HOUR

Like a great swathe of progressive metal bands, Zero Hour are somewhat influenced by Dream Theater, though their debut album is apparently where you will hear that the most. This followup to that is notably more aggressive and dark than Dream Theater; imagine if Megadeth at their most technically complex (say, on Rust In Peace) ended up incorporating just a bit more prog into their approach, and you'll end up with something not a million miles away from this, especially when it comes to Erik Rosvold's lead vocals.

The band seem to particularly like their staccato playing, and the absence of a dedicated keyboardist certainly helps to set their sound apart from Dream Theater - though there are keyboards on the album here and there, with no one member using them as their primary influence they are used for occasional extra texture, and the instrumentation is largely kept to a stripped-down core of guitar, bass, and drums.

It's all quite sparse and dramatic, but overall the band seem to be ploughing a fairly narrow furrow here - if you really like their overall style, you'll absolutely love the album, but I suspect most people won't want a ton of Zero Hour albums in this vein because the similarities become compositions become all too evident a mere two songs in.

"Zero Hour" is the first (and only) eponymously titled demo by US, California based progressive metal act Zero Hour. The demo was self-released in June 1994. Zero Hour formed in 1993 and on this release is a five-piece consisting of Luis A. Ortiz (vocals), Jasun Tipton (guitars, Keyboards), Sean Kruithoff (guitars), Troy Tipton (bass), and Mike Guy (drums). It took Zero Hour five years before they were able to release their debut full-length studio album in 1999 (also an eponymously titled affair).

I'm not sure if the long time between this demo and the debut album was due to trouble finding a label willing to sign and release Zero Hour's music, but the fact is that there isn't much on this demo which would probably attract the contemporary labels looking for new progressive metal talents to sign (...and they were looking in those days). The playing is pretty decent enough and Ortiz has a pleasant enough voice and delivery too for this type of music, but the material is just a bit unremarkable and lacks memorable moments and melodies. Zero Hour predominantly keep things relatively simple and although there are some challenging instrumental playing on the demo, those moments are few and far between. The music is generally more vocal melody oriented, and much of the instrumental part of the music is made to support the vocals and in some cases melodic heavy metal is a more valid label than progressive metal.

The demo features a decent sound production, although the sound is a bit on the thin side and the guitars lack some punch. On the positive side all instruments and vocals are clearly audible in the mix (including the bass). Upon conclusion it's not the most impressive progressive metal demo, but there is promise here and a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

(Review originally posted on Metal Music Archives)

US band ZERO HOUR was formed back in the 1990's, and while it might be the case that they are inactive at the time of writing they had the time and opportunity to make themselves fairly well known until the band appeared to ebb out. "A Fragile Mind" was their third full length album, and was released through Laser's Edge subdivison Sensory Records back in 2005.

Progressive metal is what Zero Hour is all about, and a variety of it that is somewhat different from what many other bands described as such explore as well. More challenging for starters, and focusing on other elements than mood, atmosphere and melody as such. Or perhaps one might say that they focus on additional elements, as their music isn't void of either of the three elements mentioned.

Bass and drums have a much more prominent place in the arrangements assembled by Zero Hour. Fairly loud and dominant, they provide much of the heavy characteristics of the themes of that nature found on this album. While we're treated to a fine array of massive, dark guitar riffs throughout admittedly, just as common if not more so are guitars with more of a dampened and controlled expression, compact riffs supplementing the heavy bass and drums driven foundation rather than the latter supplementing the former.

Rather than opting for melody and harmony based riff arrangements Zero Hour tend to utilize staccato and hammering ones, often repetitive and uniform in expression, with subtle variations in timbre and quirky details of a technical nature catering for the majority of variation. In addition we're treated to a vast array of alterations in pace, intensity and tonal range, emphasizing the challenging nature that tends to be a key feature of the compositions at hand. Curiously dampened, breakneck speed shred based guitar soloing also a part of the proceedings, as is occasional odd choices of timbre used by the guitar in particular.

Rather than opting for a purebred album of compositions focusing solely on challenging, technical features, Zero Hour does know how and when to employ a gentler touch too. Frail, delicate themes and passages is also a part of the totality here, and the lead vocals of Fred Marshall elevates quite a few of these compositions to a higher level with his melodic, compelling and powerful voice.

Personally I found "A Fragile Mind" to be somewhat of a roller-coaster ride overall. The band's technical approach, at least in the manner in which it is utilized here, didn't quite manage to attract my interest. Then again some of the more intricate maneuvers appealed strongly, and as the former and the latter both tend to be employed in the compositions the end result are songs that for me at least leaves me both hot and cold. They do manage to create some compositions with a stronger overall appeal as well though, There for Me and Losing Control the ones I'd select as highlights.

Those with a keen interest in the more challenging varieties of progressive metal should find Zero Hour to be a band well worth exploring. The subtle, often minimalistic and technically oriented details they employ throughout won't make this band a universally or broadly appealing one I suspect, but those who find that description to be a tantalizing one should most likely take the time to give this band a few minutes of their time.

This is the first album I have heard from Zero Hour. Although I liked it quite a bit, I don't really feel that I have all that much to say about it. Since I started writing this review though, I'll try to put my thoughts into words anyway. ;)

First off, it's a very good album of melodic progressive metal. The biggest influence does seem rather obvious though.

If you liked Queenryche, especially their album Promised Land, there's a reasonably good chance you will like this album. The very first thing I think a lot of people will notice is that vocalist Chris Salinas' vocals are pretty much a dead ringer for Geoff Tate. The playing and song writing are also similar to Queensryche's Promised Land era.

However, as I said, this is a very good album. A majority of the tracks are between 7-9 minutes in length which feels like just the right length to develop the ideas within the songs without risking overstaying their welcome.

"I Am Here", the shortest track with vocals, is one of my favourites off of this album. It's the most melodic track on the album, but also managers to be one of the most emotional.

Highlights: "Face the Fear". "The Falcon's Cry", "Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond", "I Am Here"

Zero Hour is a progressive metal band formed by twin brothers Jasun and Troy Tipton in California back in 1993. I came across the band after reading about the release of their forth (or third) album Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond and being overwhelmed by all the positive reviews that the album had received from both critics and fans. I decided to dive into this album head first, assuming that this would be something along the lines of Dream Theater and Riverside, two bands I was listening a lot to back then. Well, it's been almost five years since I've heard this album and that's a pretty hefty timespan for an album to sit on a shelf and collect dust. So what's my reasoning behind completely abandoning this release after only a few spins back in the day?

Although I still haven't experienced any of Zero Hour's previous records, I guess that the addition of Chris Salinas was a pretty excellent one since he brings quite a lot of character to this otherwise pretty generic progressive metal release. My main problem here is the songwriting which just sounds too much like a product of the early '90s progressive metal school of Fates Warning or Queensrÿche, rather than that of 2006! I mean, it's one thing to release an album like this in 1996, just when the early progressive scene was beginning to evolve, and a completely different one releasing it in 2006! I've never been a huge fan of regressive metal (aka retro prog metal), especially when it references the not so glamorous beginnings of progressive metal genre. The style and melodies are very generic and it almost feels like the band members are painting their music collage by numbers, instead of working out how they can enhance their work and bring something new and original to their established sound. There's honestly not a single standout moment all throughout these seven compositions which is probably why I never cared to give it another spin after hearing it a few times back in 2006/2007.

I'm sure that fans of the early progressive metal will find something to enjoy on Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond, since Zero Hour stays very true to that concept, with the exception of the sound enhancement of the 2006 sound mixing which sounds miles beyond anything that was released by metal bands in the late '80s/early '90s. Personally, I feel that the terrible sound of the past recordings have not been as much of an issue for me as long as long as the recording has a personality of it's own and some metal riffs to back it up! This is the main my reasoning behind such a poor rating that's being awarded here.

**** star songs: Face The Fear (9:00) Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond (7:36)

*** star songs: The Falcon's Cry (8:01) Embrace (2:25) Zero Hour (2:28) I Am Here (4:59) Evidence Of The Unseen (8:44)

Second Zero Hour album managed to be the band's most sterling to this date and was also the first one to perfect their signature style into their own after the Dream Theater influenced debut. The songwriting here is absolutely peerless and while they can be considered an acquired taste for some their talent is still jawdropping, jumping bonecrushingly heavy and syncopated oddmetered riffs with full intellect and ease. Another noteworthy thing about this album is the fantastic production that points out every detail perfectly so even the most impossible frequences get their showoff. Back to the songs - they are powerfull, intricate and often with a good hook. Their sound is really captivating but never straightforward and dull, several surprises are to be found here. Within the first three minutes of the opening title track you'll get acquainted with Zero Hour's unique sound and the journey have just started.

Quite an intense listen overall but the overall playing time is perfect at 45 minutes (rare for progressive metal standards.. hehe) The music here is very much in the technical progressive metal vein, combining the agression of Meshuggah with the melodiousness of bands like Power of Omens and Fates Warning. Definitely a band that every progmetal head should dip their toes into, and this album is the best way getting to know'em.

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.

Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond is the fourth full-length studio album by American progressive metal act Zero Hour. The album was released in 2006 through Sensory Records. For the second album in a row the band has changed lead vocalist as Fred Marshall who sang on A Fragile Mind (2005) has been replaced with ex-Power of Omens vocalist Chris Salinas. As I was not very happy about Fred Marshall´s voice and vocal style on A Fragile Mind I was really excited about the prospect of a new lead singer in Zero Hour. As it turns out my expectations that a new vocalist would bring back some of the magic from the Erik Rosvold ( the first lead vocalist in Zero Hour) days, are fully met.

The music is technical progressive metal. Zero Hour is one of the few bands in the genre who has a very unique and easily recognizable style IMO. Lots of fast chromatic runs in unusual time signatures but with memorable and melodic vocal lines to bring some dynamic and accessibility into an otherwise very dark, heavy and challenging soundscape. New lead vocalist Chris Salinas is a great asset to the band´s sound IMO. His voice is very similar to the voice of Ray Alder ( Fates Warning, Engine, Redemption) which might be a problem for some but isn´t for me. The man can´t help being born with a voice that happens to be very similar to the voice of someone else ( I wish I was born with a voice like that) and his performance on this album is impeccable. A very skilled vocalist.

There are seven tracks on the album. All excellent technical progressive metal songs ( well there´s one ballad too). Songs like Face the Fear ( OK I have to admit that when Chris Salinas starts singing in this song it does sound just a bit too much like Fates Warning), The Falcon´s Cry and Evidence of the Unseen are prime examples of why Zero Hour is one of the most succesful bands in the genre.

The musicianship is excellent. Lots of challenging playing and a unique approach to writing music.

The production is excellent too. very professional and well sounding.

Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond is a great return to form for Zero Hour and while the album doesn´t quite reach the heights of my favorite by the band The Towers of Avarice (2001), I still find it to be an excellent technical progressive metal album fully deserving a 4 star rating.

"A Fragile Mind" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US, California based progressive metal act Zero Hour. The album was released through Sensory Records in September 2005. It´s the successor to "The Towers of Avarice" from 2001 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as lead vocalist Erik Rosvold has been replaced by Fred Marshall. The Tipton-brothers are still there on guitars and bass, and so is drummer Mike Guy.

Stylistically the lead vocalist change hasn´t affected the music that much, as Marshall has a voice and singing style which is quite similar to Rosvold´s ditto, although I personally think the latter is able to sing with more passion and conviction than the former (it´s details though). "A Fragile Mind" is still quite a different sounding release to its dark sci-fi story technical/progressive metal predecessor, which is quickly apparent from reading the lyrics which deal with mental illness/depression. We´re still in dark subject matter lyric territory, but far from the sci-fi story telling of the predecessor. The instrumental part of the music is technical/progressive metal featuring complex rhythms, fast and very busy guitar/bass parts, heavy riffs, and melodic but also slightly more aggressive vocal parts. The heavy and technical late 90s/early 00s releases by Fates Warning are not the worst references (also because of the dynamic nature of the music, which in addition to the heavy and complex parts also feature more mellow and atmospheric parts), but Zero Hour are generally a bit more focused on technical playing and in that respect they are closer in style to artists like Watchtower and Sieges Even, although they ultimately sound very little like the influences.

"A Fragile Mind" features a powerful, heavy, and detailed sounding production, which suits the material perfectly. Troy Tipton´s unique bass playing has always been one of the defining elements of Zero Hour´s sound, and the bass has been given a prominent but at the same time well balanced place in the mix. Definitely a good production choice. "A Fragile Mind" is overall a very heavy release and also quite a bit more heavy than what you´d normally expect from a progressive metal release, but that´s one of the great assets of Zero Hour. They skillfully combine heaviness, melody, and technically complex riffs and rhythms with what sounds like ease. The material are generally strong, varied, and intriguing (listen to the hardedged and heavy "Brain Surgery", the 11 minutes long title track or the closing atmospheric instrumental "Intrinsic" for proof of diversity), and upon conclusion "A Fragile Mind" is another high quality release by Zero Hour. It´s not quite as original nor as groundbreaking as "The Towers of Avarice (2001)", but it´s still a quality technical/progressive metal release and a 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)

4.5 stars.This well may be their heaviest and most complex record yet. I still feel that "Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond" is their best, but I also feel that each one of their studio albums are must haves if your into heavy / complex metal. I love them all. Chris Salinas is back on vocals while the Tipton twins and drummer Mike Guy have been constants from the beginning.

"The Power To Believe" is heavy right out of the gate. This is great ! Thunderous drums 2 minutes in. Jasun starts to rip it up in his unique style 3 minutes in. The vocals and soundscape after 5 minutes are killer. Chris really offers up some different vocal styles on this album. Blistering guitar solo after 6 minutes. A childs voice ends it. "Dark Deceiver" is so heavy to open it's ridiculous. Haha. Screaming vocals and scorching guitar create organised chaos. Tipton's guitar solos are over the top ! It settles down to a beautiful section with reserved vocals, almost like a drink of cool water on a hot and humid day. The heat comes back though, and it's blazing hot. Another calm ends the song. This final section really recalls OPETH's mellow moments. "Inner Spirit" is again hard and heavy to start. Killer bass and the guitar is fantastic. Vocals after 2 minutes. This is ground shakingly heavy. A calm with reserved vocals 6 minutes in. This is like heaven after 6 minutes of hell. Haha.This is such an incredible section that goes on until 10 minutes in when the heaviness is back. The lyrics are so spiritual and uplifting, not just on this song but throughout. I love the guitar and bass just before the crushing drums come back. Ripping guitar after 10 1/2 minutes.

"Resurrection" again has such cool lyrics. This song contrasts the heavy instrumental passages with the lighter vocal sections. "Tendonitis" opens and closes with a child speaking (some humerous words) and in between we get this mind blowing bass solo from Troy. "The Temple Within" is heavy to open (what else ?) as Chris comes in on vocals, he sings powerfully after a minute. A calm 4 minutes in. It's so emotional just before 5 minutes. Incredible lyrics. "Lies" opens with riffs as Chris cries out. He uses different vocal styles on this one. Pulverisingly heavy 3 minutes in. "The Passion Of Words" features some amazing bass and vocals. A calm before 2 1/2 minutes is quickly crushed. Great track. "Severed Angel" is an instrumental of different, distant industrial sounds (drums / bass) that build as they come and go. Amazing !

So darn close to 5 stars for me. I may grow to like this even better than "Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond". Very cool to see it clock in at around 44 minutes too.