Zao

"Xenophobe"

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Jul 2, 2015

Noisecore aggressors Zao are back in the game, with a new two-song 7-inch set to explode our speakers next Friday (July 10). Ahead of time, you can stream the fractured grooves and feral shrieks the longtime outfit have to offer via a stream of the A-side, "Xenophobe."

The track is absolutely ruthless, packing a potent, brickbat assault of discordant riffery, cranium-collapsing beats and devilish screams. At its harshest, it harkens back to the '90s glory days of Deadguy, Pre-Jane Doe Converge, Drowningman or early Dillinger Escape Plan.

There are a few, somewhat more tranquil moments that blend double-hand guitar tapping and a sea-faring waltz, but overall "Xenophobe" is a brutal and devastating return for the West Virginia outfit.

You'll find a stream of the song down below, care of Decibel. The 7-inch, which features b-side "Fear Itself," hits stores next week. A full-length release, their first since 2009's Awake?, is rumoured to arrive this fall.
 

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