Towers of Avarice

Towers of Avarice

Track Listings

1. Towers of Avarice

2. Subterranean

3. Stratagem

4. Reflections

5. Demise and Vestige

6. Ghosts of Dawn

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Zero Hour are a cutting edge progressive metal band from California. Their influences range from the dark brooding power of Fates Warning to the intricate technicality of Spiral Architect and Meshuggah. The band features twin brothers Jason and Troy Tipton on guitars and bass, drummer Mike Guy and vocalist Erik Rosvold. 6 tracks.

Tracks:

Towers of Avarice
Subterranean
Stratagem
Reflections
Demise and Vestige
Ghosts of Dawn

Album Description

Zero Hour are a cutting edge progressive metal band from California. Their influences range from the dark brooding power of Fates Warning to the intricate technicality of Spiral Architect and Meshuggah. The band features twin brothers Jason and Troy Tipton on guitars and bass, drummer Mike Guy and vocalist Erik Rosvold. 6 tracks.

Customer Reviews:

4.5 stars.......2007-05-15

Incredibly tight... very heavy... lots of time changes... chunky riffage... extremely technical.... And yes, the songwriting and arrangements are great. It's heartening to come across an album like this - I've been meaning to get it for some time, and am glad I did - I'll definitely be checking out their later stuff.

Spiral Architect SUCKS.... Zero Hour OWNS!.......2006-11-18

Why does everyone keep comparing this brilliant prog quintet to Spiral Architect? Seriously though. Zero Hour proves that it is possible to be super 'technical' and still create some amazing music without drowning its listeners with its multi hybrid scales. And the lyrics make sense. Another notch on the music scale for Zero Hour with that one. How many prog bands can boast a good lyrical base?
I don't want to reiterate what everyone else has said here, but I did want to toss in my two cents as these guys are truly an exceptional band, worthy of anyone's time who appreciates good prog metal. Troy (bass) and Jasun (axe)are absolutely ADORABLE (I've met them both, very sweet guys). And with Chris Salinas, their newest member on vox, they just keep getting better and better. As this is their first and still best album in my opinion, 'Towers Of Avarice' is definitely one for the collection- one that will most likely be a classic one day.

The quintessential tech metal disc of the millennium.......2006-07-19

Zero Hour's second album, The Towers of Avarice, is possibly the most essential technical prog metal album of the millennium. It differs vastly from other bands' works in that it is characterized by an instantly recognisable songwriting aura, with machine-like instrument precision, incredibly haunting vocals, terrific lyrics, and superb production. In short, it offers everything fans of technical progressive metal expect. It is uncompromisingly heavy and capped by relentless riffage, excellent drum and bass work, and minimal keyboards to achieve atmosphere. However, rather than opting for one-dimensional, single-minded technical prowess, their music also presents a strong emotional impact from start to finish.

A curious concept about a society becoming enslaved to industrialist/capitalist ideals where a self-proclaimed saviour named Subterranean struggles to liberate them, the album starts and finishes in the exact same way. The distant key swells that open "The Towers of Avarice" reappear on the final song's intro, "The Ghosts of Dawn", to achieve unity. Musically, however, the pieces are polar opposites. The title track is a fierce number, going through several movements and featuring innumerable riff permutations by the Tipton brothers. It's a slow, haunting start on keyboards with an amazing riff following it and eventually becoming the central instrument. Behind Jasun Tipton's amazing riffs explodes his brother's phenomenal bass groove, and immediately after, Mike Guy lays down pounding drum beats. The trio continue to play the riff till it sinks in before Jasun Tipton displays his impressive sweeping, ever so briefly. Around the 2:20 mark, just as one wonders what the singer sounds like, Erik Rosvold makes his first appearance, putting aside any and all worries that Zero Hour may be another of those prog bands with great music and a horrendous vocalist. On the contrary, Rosvold is among the most talented and versatile vocalists in the genre, exuding an intense hybrid of melodicicm and aggression, and delivering in a very clear, almost Dio-like tone. Shifting from raspy to crystalline vocals, he also does some narration during the song's cold, tranquil breakdown.*

"The Subterranean" is equally heavy; it begins with a choppy, muted riff and prominent bass and drum attacks before it all disappears under a hugely melodic guitar theme that exalts Rosvold's majestic screams. Harsher and heavier staccato riffs return to the centre of the track for a superlative finale. "Strategem" is almost entirely bass driven, decorated with sprinkles of keyboards in the intro and laser-precise guitars strung across. Full of asymmetric rhythm shifts, this may be the most complex song on the album. It is busy with great breakdowns, more Becker-like sweeping, and sudden tempo changes. At its heaviest and most crushing moment, the song breaks into eerie silences filled with gentle keyboards and clean, melodic vocals. Rosvold's "Drop drop drop and liquify, I'll give the world to you, drop drop drop to sanctify, I promise only truth" quite possibly being the most moving vocal melody on the album. Not only is it memorable, but Rosvold's enunciation makes it all the more powerful as well. Back to an aggressive final section, he sings in an angry tone almost identical to that of Jon Oliva's, particularly between 6:36 and 6:59.

The next song will prove anyone who thinks progressive metal has no emotion wrong. These people should hear "Reflections" before opening their mouth. Based entirely around acoustic guitars and synth effects, the lyrics and singing on this track elevate it among prog's most emotional songs ever. Rosvold sings with so much passion and control that he could give Daniel Gildenlow a run for his money. His amazing lyrics need to be mentioned again: "I crawled along a cracked and narrow path, I saw my reflection in some broken glass, it was blood red, blood red..." stressing the last two words emphatically.

"Demise and Vestige" is the centrepiece of the album. Over fifteen minutes, the first couple of minutes are mostly driven by Troy Tipton's bass and Mike Guy's drum accompaniment. Soon enough, well-timed strikes of distorted guitars crack the icy wall of sound, and generate an awe-inspiring riff motif. It is a very technical song, but somehow manages to maintain its dramatic inertia. The melodic vocals over sombre acoustic guitars at first and the repeated "Fade Away!" screams atop cutting electric leads later on suggest it's difficult to believe how diverse Rosvold's voice really is. The second half of the song is creepier, highlighted by more melodic lines and even gorgeous harmonies. "Ghosts of Dawn" is an atmospheric track to conclude the album. Keyboard effects, strings and plaintive vocals unite, stressing Rosvold's "Death comes to those who hate" lyrics and leaving the listener shuddering in awe.

Dino Alden is the best producer (along with Neil Kernon) for this type of music around, and he always delivers the goods, with clear-cut sound separation and a punching sonic quality. Add to this the amazing artwork by Travis Smith and you have a flawless masterpiece. Since its release in 2001, this disc still gets regular plays and refuses to get old or boring. It is simply astonishing.

* Erik Rosvold left the band shortly before the band's third album A Fragile Mind was recorded. Fred Marshall, the singer on this disc, has also parted ways, leaving his position to former Power of Omens vocalist Chris Salinas. The band is currently working on their new disc slated for a fall release.

Prog metal masterpiece.......2006-05-08

I think Zero Hour was a band that was built for me to like. First -they play keyboardless prog metal, and I firmly believe that keyboards will never really help metal along unless delegated to building an atmosphere - nothing else. Second - their main influences are Tool, Meshuggah and Devin Townsend; in my opinion three of the best prog metal bands around (although not so much Meshuggah when this was released, but that's beside the point). Third - they are among the best, if not the best, songwriters in the proggressive metal genre. Fourth - they are amazing musicians. Fifth - they're dramatic without being cheesy and original without being weird. Sixth - they play dark and heavy prog metal better than any other band I have heard.

The essence of Zero Hour's sound is based around the Tipton twins on guitar/bass and Mike Guy on drums. They are so tight it sounds like machines making the music here - especially in Mike Guy's case as he does not even fire off one flamboyant fill or solo throughout the whole album. Also the interplay between Jason and Troy Tipton is amazing. Whether they are playing synchronized chugging parts or completely separate of each other, their riffs, rhythms and melodies always snap together like pieces of a puzzle, even on the rare occasion when one of them takes a solo. Their Meshuggah-esque riffs flow seamlessly into one another in a way that makes the songs melt by far too fast for my liking.

Also notable is vocalist extraordinaire Erik Rosvold, who I would liken to Tool's Maynard James Keenan, but with a dose of the more typical prog metal style. He makes great use of both his impressive vocal range and the human voices ability to whisper, croon, squeal, shout and snarl throughout the album. Then on top of that he enjoys employing multiple vocal layers and distortion on his voice subtle yet amazing ways (something Maynard has always done well). Sadly, due to personal issues with his family, Erik never managed to finish vocal parts for another Zero Hour album.

So if you have any interest in progressive metal I strongly recommend this album. Give it a few listens too, at first I was fairly passive about it but now it is in my top 5 or 10 albums of all time.

Its progress has no limits.......2005-08-31

When I first heard that I thought. It's strange but Stratagem caught my attention and I would listen many times in a row the whole album.

Then I began to read the lyrics and understand the concept.

Every structure. Every passage. Every vocal parts. Everything seems to have a purpose. After understanding the lyrics and the story everything seemed to have a sense. Everything is in place to make a perfect concept album. It has the feel that fits to the lyrics and the story. And what a dramatic story.

On the side of the production I'm very impressed. It's a first album and everything sounds perfect. You have to hear stratagem loud in a good car radio!

As for the musicianship. They are as good if not better than many other Prog/technical band out there.

Very Metal. Very technical. No keyboards as this was a good suprise for me. Seems like every prog band want to go the 'Dream Theater' line up way. Though I like them much too Prog is about diversity. Try to invent and go where no one or at least few have gone before. Like Zero Hour.