Recent Reviews

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Zero Down: No Limit To The Evil
Zero Down No Limit To The Evil CD Album Review

Zero Down: No Limit To The Evil

Classic Heavy/Speed Metal
4.5/5.0

Facebook YouTube
Minotauro Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 05.12.2014

It always seems odd to me. How is it possible that there are still traditional heavy metal bands in America? Mostly I get pitched bands from Europe. But in the last three weeks or so, I've had several from my own country. Here's Zero Down from Seattle, you know, the place that gave us grunge which basically killed classic metal and Eighties hard rock.

Zero Down No Limit To The Evil Band Photo

Zero Down

Yup, these five dudes are knockin' it back old school on their fifth long player, No Limit To The Evil, complete with a creepy Andy Griffith caricture on the cover. The Zeros sound is essentially NWoBHM combined with basic American speed metal. Twin guitars, and leads? Check. Galloping rowdy rhythm section? Check. Vocalist who sounds like a bitch child of ménage à trois between Scott, Halford and Udo? Yup. You can see where I'm going with this. And Zero Down is equally unapologetic about their old school approach. But the band has the riffs, punch, groove, melody, and attitude to pull it off. If you're tired of the pussy modern rock and metal bands that can't find a lead guitar solo under their scarves or dreadlocks, then you're going to love the truckload of sizzling leads found within. Yet the best thing about Zero Down and the many other American bands reaching for this classic heavy metal motif is that simply sounds really, really, good. It sounds fresh and relevant as though thirty years has not passed, and we never went through the eras of hardcore, grunge, nu-metal, post-grunge, metalcore, et al. Best picks: Leche di Tigre, Phantom Host, Two Ton Hammer, Steve McQueen, Return of the Godz. If liked the last from Wretch or Space Vacation, you're going to dig Zero Down's classic NWoBHM influenced heavy/speed metal grooves. Recommended.

Zero Down - No Limit To The Evil (Audio Sample)


CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

In Short

If you liked the latest from Wretch or Space Vacation, you're going to dig Zero Down's classic NWoBHM influenced heavy/speed metal grooves. Recommended.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Powell-Payne: Voilá Album Review

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]