Uglyband: Zao's new look

Zao
Latest release: The Fear is What Keeps Us Here, Ferret Records
Website: www.zaoonline.com

This Christian "metalcore" band from Greensburg, Penn., has been around since 1993, so I was surprised I'd never heard of them. Their myspace page is scary, and as I looked around for a photo of the band, the song The Buzzing played in the background. It did indeed sound like the lead singer was ripping his throat out with a buzz saw. But that, I suppose, reflects the essence of the genre.

The only group photo I could find was the one on the cover of the latest CD (above). It is a stunningly evocative scene. The band members are draped in simple white sheets resembling the Muslim burqa. They surround a similar figure draped in black, obviously representing their agent at Ferret Records. The message remains obscure, but the depiction is remarkable.

The bold and dramatic unisex look this portrays represents a significant departure for a heavy metal group of any persuasion, but especially one with a Christian background. The clean, ethereal image is in contrast to the scalding sound of the music contained in the CD. Stylistically, the choice was perfect.

This could very well influence the look of Christian groups across the spectrum from pop to contemporary to gospel. Zao's identity-erasing metalcore burqa could go a long way in dispelling the impression that Christian musicians are mostly in it for their ego.

They might find it hard to play their instruments, though.

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