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Song of Zarathustra: The Birth of Tragedy
The discovery of the synthesizer has been one of the better developments in the modern hardcore scene, which has by and large been reduced to thugged-up metal sub-genres and a few traditionalist enclaves. Men's Recovery Project and the sadly departed VSS—both led by the former vocalists of seminal hardcore acts—added aggressive keyboard buzz to hardcore's sonic arsenal, breaking fertile new ground that's still wide open to exploration by younger acts.
Song Of Zarathustra, an Oakland four-piece (plus drum machine), doesn't work its keyboards as hard as its predecessors did. Unlike Men's Recovery Project, whose icy fury was increased by willfully artificial clamor, or the VSS, whose best tracks consist of monumental organ blasts, Song Of Zarathustra prefers to use ominous synth pads to underline the traditional guitar/bass/drums crunch. What it lacks in innovation, though, it makes up for in sheer force. No gang-posturing metal crossover here: Song Of Zarathustra works firmly in the California tradition of chaotic, time-signature-smashing noise. Although it doesn't approach the sheer cataclysmic fury of a band like Angel Hair, there are enough throat-ripping vocals and fractured guitar riffs on The Birth Of Tragedy to send fans of more accessible "punk" styles screaming from the room.
Besides, this is a genre that's best experienced in person. The Birth Of Tragedy, as an album, doesn't leave a particular mark—I have trouble singling out particular tracks for praise or criticism—but it suggests that Song Of Zarathustra is a completely unstoppable live band. I missed the band during its East Coast tour this spring, but if it hits the Atlantic seaboard in the future I'm gonna make a point of catching one of its shows; others interested in a new direction in hardcore should do the same. (Troubleman)
—Nicholas Webb
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