Customer Reviews

Passage in Time

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As much as they sound like they came from the beaches of Southern California, Authority Zero hails from Arizona. You'd never know it to listen to A Passage In Time though, because the band balances their skatepunk sound with liberal dashes of ska, reggae and surf rock. It's an interesting mix, but it pays off. They end up sounding like Pennywise if they spent more time at the beach. The style is solid but unfortunately, the songs are sometimes uneven. "One More Minute" is 6-minutes of ska-punk brilliance, but some songs like "Superbitch" lean towards having tepid unoriginal lyrics. Thankfully, the music goes by so fast it's difficult to notice shortcomings, and in the end, you're left with an exciting CD that shows a lot of promise.

This album is for you if you like hybrid music. Authority Zero combines punk, reggae, hardcore, surf and latin influences to bring you "A Passage In Time". Track 12 "Over Seasons" is a melodic punk/reggae/latin blend that anyone who enjoys those two styles can get into. Track 6 "Superbitch" is a straight at you punk song with great lyrics and that is followed up nicely with "Sky's the Limit". Along with the great mixture of music the music flows well from song to song, the album doesn't break it's momentum from song to song. I've had the most hardcore kid i know as well as the most hiphop kid I know listen to teh album and both were into it, that alone makes this album KEY.

So this CD basically sounds like what it is. It's a great band before they were truly great. Here they are good, and I can't really credit them for being more than good. It's not as good as the classic Andiamo or the newer 12:34, which for me get playtime almost every week in my CD collection of more than 150 CDs, but it's still a good effort and a must-have for fans of this band.

The problem with this CD, that is, what keeps it from the pure greatness of the other releases, is that it's all over the place. Not like Andiamo, where the transitions from song to song find us experiencing different sound, but on this CD, a lot of SONGS are all over the place. Not that I don't love punk, reggae, and surf music, but if you're going to shove all that down my throat at least give me some time to get ready for it. A perfect example is the song "Superb*tch" which starts off with a speedy ska-punk sound, then breaks down into a reggae bit, and then picks up and finishes on straight out in your face punk. Now, they did this again on their other CDs, on songs like "100 years of war," but here it's less coherant and more random. The other issue, and this is an issue with every Authority Zero CD, is that when they were mixing it they made the bass too quiet on most songs. Jeremey Wood was a phenominal bassist with this band and his lines are very intricate, yet we can barely hear them.

All that aside, this CD seriously kicks it some time. It's got a good blend of fast beat mosh songs and then the more chill/relax tunes that you could sit back on the beach or in your home and just jam to, the most notable being "One More Minute," which is 6+ minutes of reggae bliss, even if it failed to launch these guys into the mainstream (But that's good right, I mean nothing good ever happens to bands once they launch into the mainstream, right?)

Overall, this is a CD that is good for parties and when you're down and need to listen something to cheer up. Personally, I love running and working out to it, it gets me pumped. I would say, however, to get the other two Authority Zero CDs first before this, and remember when you finally do get this, that it's a little out there, and it takes a few listens to truly enjoy as a great piece.

Okay I lied, I did end up using great instead of good, oh well.

Highlight tracks: "A Passage in Time" "Everyday" and "Mesa Town"

Every song on this album is great! The only downfall is that there aren't enough songs.

The best songs on this CD are: A Passage In Time, Everyday, One More Minute, Superbitch, Sky's the Limit, Some People, Over Seasons, Mesa Town

The only complaint is that I have different versions of "A Passage In Time" and "Sky's the Limit" on my computer...I like those versions better and I think they should've been put on this CD either with or instead of the other ones. These guys are awesome live, too. Check them out and buy this CD!

These guys are a surprising highlight in the current sea of mediocrity that modern music currently resides at. Their energy abounds throughout almost the entire album. The "punk gone island" sound is very refreshing and upbeat. Despite my displeasure with the group for cancelling their tour with Everclear the day I was supposed to see them in concert, Authority Zero has a fun and quality sound that has piqued my interest for many months running now.

I listen to Passage in Time, One More Minute, and Sky's the Limit again and again. There is a slight similarity in sound to Pennywise, but Authority Zero brings enough of their own element to the table that they don't seem like a sound-alike. I recommend picking this cd up over most of the emo bands that are currently getting major radio airtime without really needing any talent.

I saw these guys with Good Charlotte and Unwritten Law and Authority Zero blew the roof off. The energy in the concert hall went unmatched for the rest of the night. They are a great punk/ska band. My friends and I have created a new genre for them "SKUNK' music. Passages in Time and Superbitch are my two favorite songs right now and I give them heavy rotation on our school radio station. Can't wait to see what this band does in the future.

Well I went to a Guttermouth concert and this band was playing called Authority Zero. The band put on a wonderful live show from great moshing music to irish dance to the fastest punk rock singer i've heard in concert. The cd only makes this band even better. A great live show and a excellent compilation of sounds on their cd.

when I first heard that Authority Zero's new cd "A Passage In Time" was coming out i freaked. They had been my favorite band for the previous 2 and a half years, so I knew their cd would rock...and they didnt let me down!!! I want them to be discovered by more people and to suceed because they have worked so hard for everything and deserve the record deal they recived. I encourage many many people to check them out go to an authority zero show near your city buy the cd, WHATEVER!!Because i guarentee once you listen to them you will be hooked. Have a nice day!

There hasn't been a person anywhere that has been exposed to the Authority Zero sound that didn't like them. And not just "like them" but Love them!! Their energy is contagious just as much on the CD as it is live. You won't be able to keep still while this CD is playing!