The dirtier, downtrodden cousin to Mastodon, Zozobra meanders in the muck and slime that other slightly melodic, incredibly technical, pounding metal bands wouldnt touch if their lives depended on it. Thick and abrasive, the eight tracks that compromise Birds Of Prey ensure that all elements of gritty guitar distortion, rumbling bass and hypnotic, High On Fire-esque drums are overturned to the point of breaking. Bastardizing the vocal delivery of recent guttural hardcore and throwing it down over top of this dirty dirge only serves to accentuate how primal and cacophonous Birds Of Prey truly is. Yet before we become fully aware and anticipatory of what will follow, the band toss in the odd sweet harmony or keyboard passage to really fuck with the flow. Somehow though, it all fits together to create one lumbering and disgruntled yet beautiful beast of burden.
(Hydra Head)Zozobra
Birds of Prey
BY Keith CarmanPublished Aug 18, 2008