Customer Reviews

Zeno

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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German melodic rockers Zeno released their self-titled debut album in 1986. The band, which was notable for featuring guitarist Jochen Roth, younger brother of guitar legend Uli Jon Roth, had a sound that was similar to other German artists like Bonfire and Axxis. There are also plenty of similarities to Fair Warning, which was later formed by Zeno bassist Ule Ritgen alongside later Zeno members Tommy Heart and C.C. Behrens.

The album has that unmistakable German melodic rock sound, full of great guitar hooks, memorable melodies, prominent keyboards, and Michael Flechsig's accented yet dynamic vocals. It's a rocking album, but it's probably closer to the AOR sound than it is the heavier hair metal sound that was taking over at the time. It's not a must have album, but it's still a good example of Germany's mastery of the melodic rock style.

Fans of the German melodic rock sound in particular will get the most out of this album, but it should appeal to most 80's AOR/melodic rock fans as well. I'm a big Fair Warning fan, so this album was especially interesting to me, considering Zeno's connections to the band.

NOTE: Zeno was reissued in 2005 by MTM Classics. The reissue features digitally remastered sound and 5 bonus tracks, including alternate versions and a pair of b-sides.

"Zeno" is the debut album of guitarist Zeno Roth (brother of legendary Uli Jon Roth) originally released in 1986. Guitar-wise it would not be an exaggeration to claim that Zeno's style is practically identical to that of his brother; in terms of songwriting/musical approach "Zeno" comes closer to the 80s oriented melodic rock/hard rock. "Zeno" also brought to front musicians that would develop into prime forces of German melodic hard rock including singer Tommy Heart (`Fair Warning') bassist Uwe Ritgen (`Fair Warning', `Dreamtide') and vocalist Michael Flexig.

The consistent members of this debut are Flexig, Ritgen and naturally Zeno. The music is definitely up lifting melodic hard rock with emphasis on spirituality and pictorial lyrical themes which more than establishes the potential of the three basic members. For that matter you can expect super melodic guitar leads and stylish chords, Ritgen's trademark bass playing and Flexing's immense choruses; still as a sign of times, Michael sings incredibly high on the majority of the album therefore not making full use of his incredible range (which he uncovers on the follow up `Zeno' albums).

Despite its artistic validity and alignment to the trends and stylistic approaches of the time, `Zeno' would be the only album released by the guitarist in the 80s; subsequently the outfit would go in hiatus for the following seven years. Of course "Zeno" would re emerge in the mid 90s with iconic melodic albums "Zenology" and the unsurpassable "Listen to the Light" both of which would become big sellers in Japan. Still all credit due to this debut for bringing to front some of the most colorful personalities that German melodic rock would ever produce.

It's funny to see release dates on some DVD's and here, an album. It says 2005 - no way baby, this is classic early-mid-'80's Euro Rock. I remember listening to this album (on cassete! :-) over and over and over as a kid in high school 20 yrs ago. Just last night I had one of the tunes just pop in my head and there I was humming it again. There are some Really great and memorable songs here. Way better and more artsy than something like a "Europe", a new edge kind of rock (for the time).

ZENO ROTH, ES EL HERMANO MENOR DE ULI JON ROTH, EX GUITARRISTA DE SCORPIONS, Y ESTE DISCO ES SU PRIMERA GRABACION A NIVEL MUNDIAL, EN EL CUAL NOS DEMUESTRA SU GRAN VALIA COMO MUSICO Y COMPOSITOR ACOMPAÑADO POR EL ESPLENDIDO CANTANTE MICHAEL FLEXIG Y EL BAJISTA DE FAIR WARNING ULE W.RITGEN, ESTA GRABACION FUE PRODUCIDA POR TERRY MANNING (FASTWAY, JOE COCKER),TRATANDO DE CONSEGUIR UN SONIDO MAS COMERCIAL, ABRE EL DISCO CON LA CANCION "EASTERN SUN", PARA DAR PASO AL MEJOR TEMA "A LITTLE MORE LOVE" Y SIGUIENDO CON LA BALADA "LOVE WILL LIVE", ADEMAS DE "SIGNS OF THE SKY", "EMERGENCY", "DON'T TELL THE WIND", ETC., TODOS CON UNA INTERPRETACION EXCELSA DE PARTE DE ZENO Y MICHAEL DEJANDO CON GANAS DE ESCUCHAR MAS.
ESTA REEDICION CONTIENE ALGUNOS TEMAS EXTRA INEDITOS, ASI COMO LOS DEMOS DE ALGUNOS CORTES QUE BIEN VALE LA PENA ESCUCHAR, NO PIERDAS DE VISTA TAMBIEN SUS OTRAS GRABACIONES; "ZENOLOGY" (1995), "LISTEN TO THE LIGHT" (1998), Y SU MAS RECIENTE "ZENOLOGY II", (2005) QUE CONTIENE VARIAS GRABACIOBES INEDITAS ENTRE 1983 Y 1992", QUE NO QUEDARON EN LA SELECCION DEL DISCO DEL '95, Y MUESTRAN LA EVOLUCION DEL GRUPO DESDE SUS PRIMERAS GRABACIONES. DIFICILMENTE SE PODRAN ENCONTRAR DISCOS DE TANTA CALIDAD, Y CON ESE TOQUE TAN CLASICO QUE SOLO LOS GRUPOS ALEMANES Y EUROPEOS SUELEN IMPRIMIR EN SUS TRABAJOS. SIMPLEMENTE DE LO MEJOR QUE YO HE ESCUCHADO, Y QUE NO ME CANSO DE PONERLO EN MI STEREO; UNO DE MIS DISCOS FAVORITOS.