Zero Verdict - Walk Tall (2015)

Zero Verdict is a progressive rock/metal band from Oulu, Finland. Founded in 2013, The band has members from bands Myon, Vermivore, Machina and King’s Ruin. The band’s first EP is titled “Clarity” and is being released in digital format which can be found on their bandcamp and reverbnation page.

Zero Verdict really blows the roof off the house with this one. The vocalist has an excellent voice. His range is phenomenal, and he can really hit the high notes. Not to mention the production quality is very good. My favorite track is titled “the perfect white lie”. The guitar work is done very well with catchy riffs at an up tempo speed. The music as a whole is very refreshing with great drum patterns. The vocals are what make the track amazing for me. The chorus is really something special with a voice that reminds me Iron Maiden. The track also has a wicked solo strategically placed within the song structure which adds to the song’s heaviness.

Another one of my favorites off this EP is titled “alone” the track begins with a stellar opening riff, with an acoustic guitar backing behind it. The song then mellows down, to full acoustic, where the voice then kicks in, which packs a punch lifting this track to new heights. The song then quickly shifts to a faster tempo with the dominating opening riff by the lead guitarist. The song is 6 minutes and 45 seconds long, which is longer than typical songs, but each second is worth it! The style and changing of riff patterns is done swiftly and well. Alone also has an epic guitar solo which lasts nearly a minute. The song is a great jam to relax to or get a lift in. It’s one of those song’s that can fit any mood. The next track on the EP is titled Lost in a Haze. This song is very progressive, starting with the lead guitar which is using an guitar effect which makes the sound dream like or puts you in a trance. The voice is also great, with nice lyricism. The drum fills also support the guitar and vocals by not being overdone. The track’s guitar work is superb throughout the song with another magnificent solo that can’t be out done. The band really collaborates well with each other and enhances each other’s play significantly. The last track on the EP is titled “Clarity” This one starts out very mellow and a bit darker than the other tracks as far as the overall sound goes. The vocals dominate the intro with light guitar play backing his vocals. The song has a great build up and picks up momentum throughout the song. The track ends how it started very mellow and relaxing as the guitar fades out.

Clarity is a prominent EP. I really look forward to see what Zero Verdict does in the future because this is very promising. The band plays very well together and fits perfectly like a glove. I was also very pleased with the recording production. Usually the drums over power the vocals, but it’s not the case here. The vocals, drums, and guitars, all blend perfectly together.