Born of Americana blood, raised on psychedelia and ingrained with a spaghetti western atmosphere, ZooN takes you on a deep journey through the cosmos of genre defying rock. Released on Lighttown Fidelity Records(impressive roster by the way) based in the Netherlands on December 19th, 2015, there is little time to include in your best of the year lists. That's unfortunate but trivial in the big picture as ZooN is also offered on heavyweight vinyl in classic black and red to cherish for a lifetime.
Opener 'Darkness Falls' sets the tone with ample steel guitar and somber vocals creating a welcoming sensation loaded with americana flavor and touches of psychedelics. The next song 'Deep' trudges into an experimental/avant-garde type realm while pumping up the volume it deepens the vocal melodies which ring into a progressive array of riffs and diversify the genre boundary. Wailing Pink Floydian riffs echo in the background as a radiant battle of lyrics eat away the microphone.
'Down' continues on the proggy spin as vibrating drums align a corridor of mind-boggling groove and paranoia erupting into a facial of orgasmic psych/pop gold.
'Wood' gears up, letting the RPM’s breathe with an enchanting blend of enthralling atmosphere loaded with keys of grandeur, magic carpet groove and infectious vocal croons. The lyrics portray conceptual intent and keep the listener pegged to the stereo paralyzing with catchy chorus lines and searing with progressive edge.
'Hide' busts out with a rowdy blues based howl slowing the pace without losing its brute capacity for charm. It's a welcome shift from energetic anthems to retro rock n roll riffage. At this point each song becomes a new favorite track. The bassline alone rumbles off the Richter scale walling in the building chorus and bursting solos from smothering your senses once and for all. Progressive Americana blues licks reflect with astonishing luster as the album blows the mind into smithereens.
Southern gospel twang with a Pacific Northwest attitude occupies the breathing space of 'Breathing Space'. Gloomy with a poppy blues and an addictive melody, the song reminds me of an under known gem by the name of 'Neoga Blacksmith'. Check them out for a feel.
'Strike' closes the album with a warm acoustic backdrop led by gorgeous female vocals. Beaming with sepulchral atmosphere and strangled by an uncompromising endowment of beauty the song closes the album with utter perfection.
Not every day does an album come out of nowhere and inspire me like ZooN did today and I urge anyone with an interest in music to check this out now. The Ripples run Deep on this bad boy.
-The Huntsman
