Zero Down – With a Lifetime to Pay – Review

Zero Down

With a Lifetime to Pay (Fat )
by Tim Den

Featuring Jim (ex-bassist/backup vocalist of Strung Out and guitarist/backup vocalist of Pulley) on bass and vocals, Zero Down is like The Police of punk. You’ve got the technical-ish bass player singer, the reggae-influenced guitarist, and jazz-styled drummer, all coming together to throw preconceived notions a little curve. I mean, the little teenage skate punks will dig it too, but there lieth more beneath the surface, mi hijos! Look at it from afar and you’ll only see the rip-shit chords, lightening tempos, and the usual SoCal punk structures. But up close you’ll find… uh… lots of crazy drum fills. And bass taps. Prog punk? Nah, this isn’t Duh or Strung Out or anything. It’s decent melodic punk played by people who showcase their diverse influences by adding just the right amount of cross-breeding. Makes me feel like a high schooler again, too.
(PO Box 193690 San Francisco, CA 94119)