Clearly touring with heavyweight acts such as Satyricon, Nile, Vader and Pain has done masters of death metal Zonaria no end of favours because here, on ‘arrival of the red sun’ they deliver ten (eleven if you buy the CD edition) tracks of no-nonsense, no filler, devastating death metal that leaps from the speakers on opening track ‘arrival of the red sun’ with a barely concealed and deeply malicious glee and proceeds to carve out a bloody path from there. Favouring the sort of shiny, chrome-plated production values of acts such as Dimmu Borgir, Zonaria have no time for rattling off lightning speed riffs through a bedroom stereo. Instead, a gleaming production job (courtesy of Jonas Kjellgren) captures the band in full flight, with guitars rendered with crystal clarity, vocals proudly in the centre of the mix and all manner of symphonic flourishes hurtling towards the listener. It confirms that Zonaria have developed their craft to a fine point in the ten years since they formed.
Having laid down the gauntlet with the opening track, it is up to ‘silent holocaust’ to make good on the promise shown, which it does in no uncertain terms. Zonaria’s greatest strength this time out is that they don’t merely put their heads down and smash through songs, rather they have clearly spent much time and energy developing each piece so that it moves through a variety of moods and styles, the light and shade only serving to make the heavier passages when they come sound that much more immense. It is, to use a dreaded epithet, a more mature approach and their music benefits greatly from the intelligence with which the band approach each composition. That is not to say that Zonaria can’t unleash unholy hell when they choose to – ‘Gunpoint salvation’ is a swirling, industrial-tinged nightmare that slams the unwary up against the nearest wall with its devilishly heavy riffs, relentless percussive assault and strangely melodic chorus (think Children of Bodom having a fist-fight with Satyricon) – it is simply that time and again the band pull back for a moment, as if to admire the destruction they have wrought, before engaging upon a renewed onslaught that leaves the listener reeling and exhausted. ‘Liberation zero’ is an even faster, toxic blast of deathly fury powered by a riff hewn out of the living rock of ages and vocals delivered with a spite that sets the teeth on edge. It is powerful stuff indeed, and guaranteed to set any mosh pit with a pulse alight in an instant.
Opting for a more measured pace, ‘the blood that must be paid’ adopts a slower, yet equally relentless tempo that recalls the might and majesty of Kataklysm and even Emperor – no small recommendation – and it is an easy highlight of the album; the sort of track you can easily imagine becoming an anthem adopted by metal fans the world over. Meanwhile, ‘desert storm’ has a lighter, almost classic rock touch, that provides a moment of relief after the brutal sturm und drang of its predecessor, although Simon Burglund’s vocals never let up for a second, even whilst the music swirling around him is melodic, hypnotic and deeply atmospheric. Chalk it up as another highlight, although such is the consistently innovative and brutal quality of the album that it gets harder to pick out key moments the more often you listen. ‘A lullaby for those still alive’ is another blistering track that hinges upon the band having found the perfect meeting point between furious rage and memorable melody meaning that their tracks not only pack a mean enough punch to make your teeth rattle, but also that they work their way into your brain, lodging there and daring you to try and remove it without recourse to radical invasive surgery. Putting pedal firmly to the metal, ‘full spectrum dominance’ simply acts as a battering ram, tearing everything apart in a berserker-like fury before ‘my vengeance’ spirals out of control from its tormented, orchestral opening to its brutal climax. Final track ‘face my justice’ rounds out the album with a Punisher-like concept of justice and a similar clarity of mind all wrapped up in massive swathes of symphonic death metal. It is the epic finale to an album that builds from an amazing start and never once lets up in terms of quality or variety.
Death metal is such an over-subscribed genre that it often becomes hard to feel excited about the announcement of a new release. Yet Zonaria defy all expectations, even the lofty standards set by their previous work, to deliver what must surely be considered a masterpiece of the genre. The vocals are delivered with passion and precision, the mix is beautifully wrought and the musicianship of the whole band absolutely first-rate. Devastatingly powerful, Zonaria understand the value of dynamics, pulling a punch every so often so that the knock-out blow can be delivered with real, brutal force. Nothing feels rushed, compromised or left out and that Zonaria have earned their place touring with the very cream of the death metal scene is without question. This is a thrilling, adrenalin-fuelled beast of a record and an essential purchase for all who call themselves fans of extreme metal. The time of Zonaria has come and before the year is out we will all worship at their altar for this is an astounding record from start to finish.
