Customer Reviews

When Blood and Fire Bring Rest

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This band seems to get a lot of criticism from the reviewers here on Amazon.com. Many seem to think that because the vocals are screamed and have a very gothic sound to them that the music can't possibly glorify God. Well, I have another view. I saw this band play in Roanoke, Virginia, in a small, smoke-filled crackhouse-type place. You know, it wasn't a friendly place. I was there with a couple friends, and there were all sorts of interesting people there. I felt somewhat intimidated by the atmosphere, and was ready for Zao to come play so I could head home. When Zao made their appearance, they came straight out and said, "We are a Christian band, and we'd love to talk to you guys about our faith." Right out, first thing. I felt so secure and happy to see a group take such a stand in what seemed a very un-Christian place. Not only that, but the dude didn't have enough money to pay these guys. So they just took the $90 and played the show anyway. Now if these guys played "evil, demonic" music, would they have said what they did and played for one-third of their price? No way. Support this band...not only are they cool guys, the music is phenomenal. Brett Detar played guitar on this CD, and he is an excellent musician...you can now hear him leading his new band, The Juliana Theory (also a 5-star release). Disregard all of the negative comments about this band...they really are on track.

I'm sorry, but i will never understand why people who don't like metal/hXc would buy an album like this and complain that they can't understand it. With a title like "Where Blood And Fire Bring Rest," what the heck did you think it would be? In reality this is a very talented band, and if you liesten to this kind of music, like I do, they are quite simple to understand. If you want hard to understand, get the Living Sacrifice album "Nonexistent" or Spitfire's CD.

Since Solid State's Living Sacrifice opened the doors to the world of metal for the label in 1997, there has been no more of a brutal metal release than Zao's "Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest"! This CD not only pushes the limits, but steam rolls over them! Zao, known previously as a strictly hardcore band has exploded onto the metal scene, crossing bridges never before even explored by any band - christian or secular. The vocal stylings are the outstanding feature of the new Zao. They can only be described as a throaty scream, quite unlike anything ever attempted in this genre of music. BEWARE because these vocals may knock you off your feet because they're just that AWESOME! To compliment the new vocal style the band has written some mega in-your-face vocals. Good luck figuring them out listening to the song, but trust me, they're definately worth checking the lyric sheet for. Zao's new sound is so unparalleled that it takes some real getting used to, but after the first go-round, you'll have to pry it out of your CD player with a crowbar! You'll definately want to keep listening! Kudos to Jesse Smith, the band's only remaining original member, for keeping the heart beat of this band and bringing it to the forefront of metal! "Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest" is one in-your-face CD, and my best purchase of the year - BUY IT!!

This album is beyond any description. Arguably the best Christian metal band, Zao can't be touched with this one. Jesse Smith could not have picked a better group of guys to work with. Daniel Weyandt's vocals are serpent-like and go well with the harsh guitars and beating drums. Even the last track, Violet, a song on the keyboard shows the intensity of Zao's walk with Christ. You have to get this one if you're into Christian metal. Also look for their new one - Liberate te ex Inferis/Save Yourself From Hell (it's even better)

This cd is great. If you like metalcore, I'd highly recommend you listen to this. It's catchy, but don't worry..You'll never catch a radio station playing this stuff on the 5 at 9 inbetween 3 doors down and britney spears. This is hard music with powerful lyrics. It's hilarious yet extremely sad to see how people automatically disregard any music that has to do with Christianity. I swear, people get defensive when they hear a Christian band walking in on their territory with music just as good as the non-Christian music they listen to. They read that it's Christian, and all of a sudden, all they're looking for are any possible ways to make fun of it -just because it's Christian mind you. I have no respect for people like that. If you think that way, just listen to music for what it is, and not for what your friends might say when you tell them you're listening to a Christian band- because you, yourself like it. Besides, if you have to listen to music just because it's cool at the time, it's pretty sad that you need someone elses approval to feel secure about what you like.

this is one of my all-time favorite albums.
with 3/4 of the original zao gone, lone original member, jesse smith, put together the most devastatingly beautiful metalcore band of all time with vocalist dan weyandt, guitarist brett detar (yes, the guy from the juliana theory), and guitarist russ cogdell (detar and cogdell shared bass duties on the record).
if i may be honest, 'where blood and fire bring rest' is one of the most profound musical moments of my life. to me, this record is that important. from the opening venom of 'lies of serpents, a river of tears', to the heartbreaking lament of 'a fall farewell', the unparalelled chaos of 'ravage ritual', the paralyzing, devastating beauty and rage of 'latter rain', to the profoundly beautiful and appropriate piano closer violet, this record is a defining moment in my life. it has somehow allowed me to exist and experience life on a slightly different level.

thank you, zao.

Zao is about the best band Christian or not that I have ever heard. Their music is heavy and hard. It has wonderful lyrics and incredible guitar solos. Ravage Ritual is an incredible song and very powerful. And when listening to Violet I nearly started crying. While Violet isn't like the rest of the CD it is a very powerful song and when I listen to it I start thinking about Abortion. Zao is a very powerful band, like none I have every heard before. And even if you aren't a strong Christian this CD is still for you, because you don't get the feeling that you are being preached to yet there is still enough of it for the devoted to enjoy it and not have to worry about what the next word will be. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys heavy Christian music. It is more then worth the money.

This is by far the greatest cd ever out of any music. Zao has dominated the hardcore scence since the start and this cd puts them way out front. There new stuff is a fall short of this cd so I reccomend this cd more than other. The soft yet complicated sounds of "to think of you is to treasure an absent memory" just prove how diverce Zao is. My fav. song "a fall farewell" matches the raw sounds that I've always looked for . THIS CD IS GREAT BUY IT NOW!

Well, reading over some of the past reviews (especially negative ones), i would have to say that people are missing the point. What difference does it make how the band sounds- the purpose of the band is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Regardless of the way the singer sings, or the guitar player plays, it makes no difference. It is not possible to deny the fact that Zao is a hardcore christian band. I think No Innocent Victim (another christian hardcore band) sums it up nicely. They say "I thought hardcore was standing up for what you believe in," and go on to say "I would die for my beliefs tonight." The singer screams through every song, not sounding much like something a good old conservative christian might expect. The beauty of music is the lyrics. Thank you.

To start off I'll say that I have every ZAO CD. That isn't to say that I think all of their stuff is the greatest. And it isn't just because I'm a Christian. I like secular hardcore/metalcore acts just as much as I like Christian ones. When I say this may be one of the best albums in this genre, it's because it is lyrically and musically a masterpiece.

From the first whispered tones of "Your Eyes.." right up to the last strains of this CD, it hammers into the listener with sincerity of words and the sheer might of a jackhammer. We're talking about HEAVY guitars, insane drumming, and vocals that have been copied by nearly every band to come out since it came out in 1998. Just take a listen to bands like Haste the Day, The Agony Scene, Demon Hunter, Unearth, Killswitch Engage Heaven Shall Burn, Himsa, Bleeding Through and As I Lay Dying, all of these acts borrow from ZAO, and have done it to the point that they are commercially successful. Even a list of more "underground" bands have taken aspects of this CD and inserted it into their music. Alove for Enemies, A Traitor Like Judas, Black Dahlia Murder, Martyr AD, All That Remains, Nodes of Ranvier, and Glass Casket, just to name a few.

If you like hardcore/metalcore music, and you can't listen to this CD and really see where the genre has come since this was released and how the genre itself was influenced and shaped by these great musicians then I just feel sorry for you cause you missing out on a GREAT listen. This CD is a MUST HAVE for any serious hardcore/metalcore fan.