Review: New Zero God – 'Short Tales & Tall Shadows'

NEW ZERO GOD
'Short Tales & Tall Shadows'
SELF-RELEASED

Greek post-punks New Zero God will not be a new name to a lot of people. They have over the past few years been working hard and the early spirit of the post punk and proto-gothic scenes alive. The band's last studio outing was 'MMXIII' which provided a solid offering of tracks that were only really held back by less than perfect production. Fast forward to last year and the band's first live album showed them on top form giving their songs a fervent energy and playing off the rough and ready atmosphere. But their latest album 'Short Tales & Tall Shadows' is a bit of a departure. Their punk roughness is smoothed out in favour of gothic theatrics. A move that is reminiscent of when The Damned made 'Strawberries'.

The band blend gothic rock, psychedelic pop, a hint of their post-punk past and a dose of dark blues, the end result is like a cross between The Damned and Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds. Songs such as 'King Pest The First', 'Garden Of Mazes', 'Cloud Of Dreams', 'My Reaper', and 'Bastards' are the most consistent examples of this sonic formula and also lyrically the most literary in construction. While the likes of the spoken word 'Deadly Dollhouse' and the sinister instrumental outro 'Ouroboros' add a nice experimental edge to the proceedings.

In terms of production this is by far the band's best effort so far. It has a nice retro, mid-1980s feel to it. But in terms of the mix and the overall sound it is still fresh and modern. They have maintained their grittiness through their individual performance but aimed high and improved the quality as a result.

This is the album the band have needed to make. The gothic and psychedelic elements are fantastic. Mike Pougounas' vocal performance is utterly compelling and there are a lot of sumptuous guitar lines and grooves throughout to get your teeth into. The band have made a bold move with 'Short Tales & Tall Shadows' and it has paid off in a big way. The songwriting, the performances and the execution are spot on. Hopefully this will be a path the band continues to explore moving forward.   

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Review: New Zero God – 'Zona Pericolosa'

NEW ZERO GOD
'Zona Pericolosa'
B-OTHERSIDE RECORDS

Greek post-punk/gothic outfit New Zero God have been keeping the black flame burning for nearly a decade now with their mix of gothic keyboards, spiky guitars and powerful bass. The band's last outing was in the form of 'MMXIII' which featured solid song writing and performances, but suffered somewhat from poor production values. Their newest offering, the live EP 'Zona Pericolosa' on the other hand plays to the band's strengths.

Recorded live in Italy in April of this year, the production is still a little high on the treble and the mix isn't quite to par, but it is full of fervent energy and passionate performances that see the band on top form. The band tear through five songs from their songs such as 'Bang Bang', 'Love Means Death', 'The Love Hate Song', 'Love Commandos', and 'Damaged' which bridge the band's previous incarnation as The Flowers Of Romance with their current form and provides a nice cross-section of moods from both bands.

As far as live recordings go it is a rough and ready style that would pass for a pretty fine soundboard bootleg. The crowd noise is a little too low which detracts from the ambience – although the brief introductions make up for this – but when all is said and done it is still a nice unfiltered performance that shows just what the band are best at – and that's performing to a crowd.

'Zona Pericolosa' may not be the casual listener's cup of tea. But for long-time fans of New Zero God and their related projects it will be an essential purchase. It is a warts and all / what you hear is what you get presentation without overdubs or spit and polish, which is actually quite refreshing. Hopefully though this release will signal that a new studio album isn't too far behind.  

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New Zero God announce 'Destination Unknown'

Athenian gothic rockers New Zero God have announced the release of their new digital and vinyl single 'Destination Unknown'.

The digital version single is available now via the band's bandcamp page, while a limited edition multicoloured 7” vinyl version will be released in December.

New Zero God were formed in 2006 by former members of The Flowers Of Romance and Nexus, and have so far released two full-length albums ' Fun Is A Four Letter Word' (2010) and ' MMXIII' (2013) as well as a mini album 'Club Bizarre' (2012)

To order 'Destination Unknown' please visit the band's bandcamp page. For more information on New Zero God, visit their official website.

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Review: New Zero God - 'MMXIII'

NEW ZERO GOD 
'MMXIII' 
SECRET SIN RECORDS 

Greek post-punk outfit New Zero God have certainly got a solid pedigree having been formed from the combined ashes of the gothic rock band The Flowers Of Romance, industrial rockers Nexus and darkwave act The Drops; all of which have shared the stage with luminaries such as The Mission and Christian Death in their heyday. New Zero God though is a beast unto itself, distilling the best elements of these groups and giving them a major overhaul.
The band's 2010 début, 'Fun Is A Four Letter Word', was a strong initial step that has given the band a foothold in Europe and the UK. But this means that their third studio outing a lot to try and outdo.

The album is primarily guitar driven and retains the endearing punk flirtations of their début with nods to the likes of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Play Dead. But songs like 'Damaged', 'Hypnotised', 'Pin Ups', 'Intoxication' and 'Until The End Of The Line' mix things up nicely by channeling the likes of Fields Of The Nephilim, Killing Joke and even hints of The Cure and Peter Murphy into the band's sound. It's well written and well executed work, with Mike Pougounas' rich and varied vocal performances deserving particular praise.
Where is starts to come apart for the band though is in the production. Punk attitudes aside, there are a few songs that sound as though the mix was rushed through in the studio. Vocals come in too low or sit uncomfortably on top of guitars and drums that just sound too tinny as they swamp the bottom end, which will no doubt be more discernible on the compressed digital format.

There are some great songs on this album that unfortunately come stuck at times. But the band's ear for a catchy chorus and a strong guitar riff often sees them through the rough patches with ease. 'MMXIII' may not be the revelation that takes New Zero God to the next step, but they are definitely on the right track.

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New Zero God release 'MMXIII'

New Zero God released their third album, the Greek band's second through UK label Secret Sin Records, on 13th January 2013. The album title is the Latin numeral 'MMXIII', a nod to its release year, namely 2013.

'MMXIII' features  tracks steeped in guitar-driven Gothic/Post Punk. It was recorded in Athens, Greece, during June and through to November 2012, and was mastered in the UK.

The band's current line-up includes three original Flowers Of Romance members, singer Mike Pougounas, bassist Harris Stavrakas, and guitarist Lao, along with Sidheog Steves, ex-The Drops and co-founder of New Zero God, on drums.

The album will also be the final release for the band's UK label Secret Sin Records and an be bought HERE.

For more information on New Zero God and their future releases please check out their facebook page.

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