Rating: 6.0

Country: Italy

Release Date: 2005

Record Label: Malicious Intent Records

Track list:
1. Smashed Out of Control
2. Tsantsa [mp3]
3. A Narcos War
4. Fresh Flesh
5. Violating Code
6. Main Frame Collapse

Total Playing time: 21:20

Band Website: Zora

Zora - Undisciplined Violent Aggression

Peppe Pascale - Guitar, Vocals
Alessandro Dimeco - Drums
Tato - Bass

For a multitude of reasons, EPs or mini-albums just don't sell very well. They can be regarded negatively as an insufficient thirst quencher before a full album (invariably incorporating the same material) and so often leave the listener undecided about whether they like the band's direction or not. Zora's debut album Gore is imminent so it is with profound annoyance that U.V.A. does not permit me to recommend checking out their more current output one way or the other. The sound mixing of each track is inconsistent, one song (the last) is a cover and the main songs generally do not sound like they belong together.

Strangely, Zora's saving grace is their cloning ability, something which usually kills off most bands. Check out the MP3 of "Tsantsa" for the most blatant late-90s Cannibal Corpse worship for several years! High density chops, Alex Webster basswork, hammering verses, pinch harmonics, dextrous but not overtly complex riffage and the ability to drop in a carpet bomb epilogue; it's all there. Zora take this proven framework and attach some streaks of individuality to sound respectful rather than plagiaristic. It is a shame that the vocals are very typical, being a Mullen/Fisher/Barnes hybrid with lacklustre backing shrieks. Also, "A Narcos War" is a real nadir of banal catchiness compared to the more accomplished bulk.

"Smashed Out of Control" has a mid-section of hot-blooded thrash preceding a moshtastic groove stomp (sounding rather Mortician-like when detuned) to get things going. "Fresh Flesh" and "Violating Code" are the most original tracks, making use of slurred and awkward atonality in the vein of the second Gorguts album The Erosion of Sanity and breaking up the otherwise linear song structures with differing rhythm segments from earlier sections. The bass sounds more menacing here, having extra resonance and contrast to the guitar crunch.

Rather large strides could be made to improve the production all round. The drums in particular sound very unnatural and gated, but this does make the songs sound very taut at least. Ther are occasional hints at interesting harmony but these are badly obscured. If Zora are to successfully accelerate out of their mid-paced territory they need to address this. On the whole, I expect people to have at least a quiet liking for this release but I doubt many would get very excited about it.

August 20th, 2007