Review: TAUNTED - Zero

TAUNTED - Zero
 (self released, 2006)

Here’s a new metal force from Bay Area! Here’s Taunted - a power/thrash band, started in 1992 on the debris on a not very well known in our country ensemble - the 80s’ Annihilation. A few years of trying, two demos, a hiatus, a return after five years of absence, numerous line-up changes, and finally the hiring of drummer Henry Moreno allowed this band to finally get out there. In 2006, they released their debut. In the metal underground, the album was quite a sensation. Why? The Californians approached the listeners with a concept album - a classic horror in the vein of King Diamond. In the terms of US power/thrash metal scene it’s a rare thing to do; all the better for those guys.

 

„Zero” is an underground gem, featuring twelve smooth, rather simple, mostly mid-tempo songs, rooted in strong, thrash riffs and a flawless rhythm sections (many awesome fills). The release doesn’t lack any melody either. No two ways about it, Jacques Serrano’s aggressive, sharp, low, screamy, expressive, sometimes venomous voice is one of this group’s great assets. That guy sure has one hell of a throat! His demonic singing is hard to compare to that of anyone else... he’s kinda close to Blitz from Overkill, sometimes resembling the late David Wayne (Metal Church), even Nevermore’s Warrel Dane („Leaving”). The solos of Joey Genoni deserve a mention too - especially those in „Door Gate”, „Ride Alone”, „Still Believe”, „Stereo Furniture” and „Leaving”. His talent also shines brightly in the instrumental „Scent of Hell”. Apart from the brief middle fragment, the piece is built around marvelous solos. Actually, the song is like one long, tasty solo itself. The rhythm section constantly works to surprise us with the sudden tempo changes and intriguing fills. The music just... flows.

 

The Americans have some great inspirations, but there’s certainly no mindless ripping-off present. In Taunted’s music, you can hear the distant echoes of late Sanctuary/early Nevermore („Still Believe“, „Leaving“ - the mood and the solos), and in the heavier fragments the Bay Area metalheads come close to sounding like Overkill („Dream Reality”, the ending of „Entity Zero”, „Taunted”, or even „ATG”). All of the songs suck you in with their dark, ominous mood. Short, neatly arranged compoistions are prevalent; a lot of things are happening in them. What is the concept tale about? The action is set in a haunted house. The family that inhabits it has a problem... is the ghost haunting them real, or just a creation of their own minds?

If I were to pinpoint my favorites, I’d select the short, atmospheric „Door Gate” with first clean, then screamed vocals and the aforementioned „Scent of Hell”. No less of an impression was left by the varied, steady „Entity Zero” with its elevated atmosphere and solemn singing, the heavy „Ride Alone”, the unusual „Leaving”, and the longest, more complex „Taunted”. The last one is a real crown jewel here - a sharp, thrash song with awesome riffs, tempo changes and great vocal parts in the solemn choruses. Genoni’s guitar takes the lead spot here. This guy’s feats are hard to describe - you gotta listen to this yourself. There’s no forgetting the steady, even crushing in the second part, „Bloody Tears” - a piece of great, Overkill-style sounding metal. The strong, spacious sound is another asset of this uncanny album; overall, a great listen.

 
8,5  Tomek/Nevermore