New Zero God

Fun Is A Four Letter Word (Puzzlemusik)
by Scott Hefflon

Greek Gothic veterans team up to make a solid, dark, catchy album similar to the great Gothic punk bands in the UK in the late ’70s and ’80s. To throw out some names: The Damned, Bauhaus, The Mission UK, The Sisters of Mercy, and one of my faves, Fields of the Nephilim (before their flirtation with dark electronics and metal, which came and went, luckily. They exemplified vampire cowboy rock, crusted in dirt and blood, dark skies and lifetimes of sadness and longing). The secret then and now is strong, dusky vocals with lots of powerful notes held long and strong, while the tune churns beneath. Electronic flourishes and soundbits detract from the candlelit mood, but they’re mostly in the intros and are easily gotten beyond. As is often the case in the genre, some of the lyrics are really silly, like in the otherwise worthy title track. Honestly, my favorite songs are the unashamed Gothic plods. No fancy tricks, no “modern effects,” just classic reverb-drenched guitar arpeggios and slow-building strums, the rich vocals pondering this and expounding that, and the drums and bass thick and deep, like the lub-dub, lub-dub of your weary heart.

This is the band’s debut, but the members bring a wealth of experience and influences to the buffet table. I can see “Kiss the Witch” and “The Love Hatesong” catching on, and really confusing fans because they’re so drastically different. A band to watch evolve.
(www.myspace.com/newzerogod)