Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun. In 1985, Pezzati was replaced by Dave Riley, who played on Big Black's two full-length studio albums, Atomizer (1986) and Songs About Fucking (1987).
Zao is an American metalcore band founded in Parkersburg, West Virginia and later relocated to Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in March 1993, Zao has hosted several musicians and endured numerous roster changes to the point where no original members remain. Former drummer Jesse Smith, singer Dan Weyandt, and guitarists Scott Mellinger and Russ Cogdell are seen by some fans as the "core" of Zao, with the current line up being the longest running in the band's history.
Rx Bandits are an American four-piece band based in Seal Beach, California, United States. The band formed in 1995 in Orange County, California. They have appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and at The Bamboozle.
Liberate Te Ex Inferis is the fourth full-length studio album by metalcore band Zao. It is considered by many to be their most experimental and darkest album. It was released on Solid State/Tooth & Nail. With the album came the addition of bassist Rob Horner. Liberate is the first Zao album to feature Scott Mellinger, who replaced Brett Detar after his decision to pursue The Juliana Theory full-time.
From Autumn to Ashes is a post-hardcore band based in Long Island, New York. The group formed in 2000 under the name Who's to Blame. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark, Scott Gross (guitars), Benjamin Perri, Brian Deneeve, Stephen Salvio (guitars), Josh Newton, Mike Pilato, Rob Lauritsen (guitars), Jonathan Cox (guitars) and Jeff Gretz.
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest is the third full-length album released by metalcore band Zao on Solid State/Tooth & Nail. It was the first album to feature vocalist Dan Weyandt after the departure of Shawn Jonas along with new bassists/guitarists, Russ Cogdell and Brett Detar. The album contains a sample from the film The Shining at the end of "Lies Of Serpents, A River of Tears", as well as a sample from the horror film The Prophecy during the intro to "Ravage Ritual". It is often considered among the greatest metalcore albums ever made.
(Self-Titled) is the fifth full-length album by metalcore band Zao, released on February 21, 2001 by Solid State/Tooth & Nail/EMI. This album saw the departure of guitarist Russ Cogdell. The entire album was written in the recording studio by Scott and Jesse. Dan would be sent the tracks to write lyrics and then recorded them. The band famously broke up on stage touring this album.
Parade of Chaos is the sixth full-length album released by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 10, 2002 by Solid State/Tooth & Nail/EMI. This album was recorded similarly to (Self-Titled) with Scott and Jesse writing in the studio and Dan being absent until time to record vocals. This album was also recorded at the same time as the recording of the All Else Failed reissue. This album featured the departure of bassist Rob Horner.
Legendary is a "best of" album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on December 17, 2003, on Solid State/Tooth & Nail/EMI. It is the eighth album by the group. The last three songs are previously unreleased studio demos with Corey Darst on vocals. "The Icarus Complex" appeared on This is Solid State Vol.3.
The Funeral of God is the seventh full-length album by metalcore band Zao. Released on July 13, 2004 through Ferret Records in the US, and on July 12, 2004 through Roadrunner and Ferret in Europe and Asia. It saw the return of guitarist, Russ Cogdell, and the addition of bassist Shawn Koschik and drummer Stephen Peck after the departure of Jesse Smith. A music video was made for the song "The Rising End ".
Steve Albini is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer, and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He is the founder, owner and principal engineer of Electrical Audio, a recording studio complex in Chicago. In 2018, Albini estimated that he had worked on several thousand albums over his career. He has worked with acts including Nirvana, Pixies, the Breeders and PJ Harvey.
Creation Is Crucifixion is a technical metalcore band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The group originally formed under the name Chapter in 1995, but changed the name to Creation Is Crucifixion in 1997. The band was known for its complicated sound, which varied from ambient noise to more complex pieces. Their lyrical themes often dealt with technology and various functions of society, such as politics and religion.
David Michael Riley was an American musician who was the bassist in the punk rock band Big Black from 1985 until the band's dissolution in 1987. Riley moved to Chicago in 1982 from Detroit, where he had worked as a recording engineer. He played on Big Black's two studio albums, Atomizer (1986) and Songs About Fucking (1987), as well as their Headache EP (1987), several singles, and two live albums. After Big Black, Riley recorded tracks with several other artists before being incapacitated by a stroke in 1993, losing the ability to walk. He became a blogger, and published a book in 2006 titled Blurry and Disconnected: Tales of Sink-or-Swim Nihilism. He died in late 2019 from squamous cell carcinoma.
Unconsecrated is the debut studio album by Australian deathcore band The Red Shore, released on 8 November 2008. It was originally set for a 22 September release through Siege of Amida Records, but was delayed. A limited edition was released as a CD/DVD package containing a documentary and live performance.
Awake? is the tenth studio album by metalcore band Zao. It was released on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records. It contains nine new tracks and a re-recording of the track "Romance of the Southern Spirit", which originally appeared on the Japanese version of The Funeral of God. Only 8,000 physical copies of the album were made. Each copy is numbered and has six interchangeable covers. The album sold approximately 2,000 copies in its first week. The single "Entropica" debuted in April 2009 prior to the album's release.
Daniel Weyandt is the third and current vocalist of the American metalcore band, Zao. He was also the bassist for Seasons in the Field and current bassist for Lonely//Ghost//Parade. Weyandt is also a tattooer and owns a shop in his hometown, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Xenophobe/Fear Itself is the fourth EP by the American metalcore band, Zao. It is the first release since the band's five-year unofficial hiatus. It is the first EP to feature Scott Mellinger, Martin Lunn and Jeff Gretz.
Jesse Smith is an American musician, best known for his work as the original drummer of Christian Metal band, Zao. After leaving Zao, he has had multiple other bands/projects including, Gods, My Own Halo, Jesse Smith & the Holy Ghost, and Serpent Servant Slave.
The Well-Intentioned Virus is the eleventh full-length album by metalcore band Zao, released on December 9, 2016. The album features the first studio performance of Russ Cogdell for the first time since 2004's The Funeral of God. The album was released digitally, as well as on CD, vinyl and cassette. On December 1, 2016, the band streamed the whole album.
Pyrrhic Victory is an EP by metalcore band Zao, released on November 3, 2017. It is the third release by the band on their own Observed/Observer Recordings label since their reactivation in 2015 after several years of hiatus. The songs were recorded during the same sessions that resulted in 2015's Xenophobe and 2016's The Well-Intentioned Virus. The EP in its entirety was streamed on the Metal Injection website on October 31, 2017.
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