Zero Hour: Agenda 21

A band that were initially active from the 90`s up until around 2008 when the band went on hiatus due in no small part to an injury suffered by guitarist Troy Tipton, but they are now back on the scene with a slightly revamped line up, and one that includes original members Jasun Tipton (guitars) and Erik Rosvold (vocals), as well as new recruits bassist Andreas Blomqvist (Seventh Wonder) and drummer Roel van Helden. So, reinvigorated once more Zero Hour have returned via Frontiers Records with a new album entitled Agenda 21.

This album doesn’t really deviate from the musical path they were on before, and still have the influences of the likes of Rainbow, Dream Theater still very much to the fore. There are six tracks for the listening pleasure spread out over its 50 minute length.

`Democide` which is the longest track demonstrates the bands strengths, the jagged rhythms, the elaborate arrangements and above all else the excellent musicianship, it moves effortlessly through its various passages managing to hold the overall premise of the song intact.

The album, then settled down with tracks of a more, shall we say, manageable length which enables the band to become more concise in their song writing with `Technocracy` coming across as a mash up between Queensryche and Dream Theater...marvellous.

`Stigmata` and `Memento Mori`, the former being a fine piece of 21st century Progressive Metal whereas the latter is the nearest thing to what I would call a ballad, as it’s a wonderfully atmospheric number which ably displays that the band have a real ear for a melody too.

The title track returns to more familiar territory and the album is bought to a close with the powerful statement that is `Patient Zero` which is a technical exercise in how Progressive Metal should be performed. It’s packed full of everything a Prog Metal fan would ever want, and delivered with a level of passion rarely heard these days. This is an album very much worth the wait and it’s great to see the band firing on all cylinders once again.

Track Listing
1.Democide
2.Technocracy
3.Stigmata
4.Memento Mori
5.Agenda 21
6.Patient Zero

Added: July 10th 2022
Reviewer: Malcolm Smith
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
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Language: english

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