Thursday 30 July 2015

ZARK - Tales of the Expected (2015)

Genre - Progressive Rock
Label - Self Released
 
Track listing:
 
01 - Lord Rat
02 - Mask
03 - LV-426
04 - One Eye Open
05 - Hollow Shells
06 - Carnival Of Souls
07 - The Robber
08 - Megaer
 
 
ZARK are a progish retro rock metal band and hail from Evesham Midlands. Their influences include pretty much a who's who of the stoner, doom, proto rock , most 70's rock and prog scene's, such as Black Sabbath, Rush, Tool, Russian Circles, kyuss, King Crimson, Latitudes,  Trouble and so on.
Zark were formed in early 2014 when ex smoke pilot guitar player Sean Bindy Phillips started a little jam with his chums in Simon Spiers (sontaron experiment, baron greenback) and Andy Kelley (baron greenback) to try a little some different to their usual stoner groove doom background. Putting in some progish undertones. Quickly realising that they had something special but they needed extra guitars for harmonies and atmospherics, and also a singer. So Simon introduced Josh Tedd (majin) to the band and we got Stuart Lister (expedestrian) for vocals.
Having already got the songs in place, it was left for vocalist Stuart Lister to come up with the lyrics and vocal melodies, and then put out the debut album.
Tales Of The Unexpected is that debut album, and what a stonking album it is to. Oozing power and confidence, the band wearing their influences on their sleeves but never simply plagiarising them, Zark have become a great, solid, if complex at times, band with a brilliant debut album with which to show case their wears.
Opening with 'Lord Rat', the album is quick to showcase the bands prog rock roots, with its twisting riffs and varied tempo changes, setting the scene for what is to follow perfectly. In fact what does follow is almost a master-class in what was glorious about the seventies prog / stoner rock scenes. tracks such as 'Mask', 'One Eye Open', 'Carnival Of Souls', and 'Hollow Shells', proving the band are a band to be reckoned with!

Zark are great band and with Tales Of The Unexpected they have a great debut, proving that the future of prog rock in the UK is in good hands!

Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 9/10



 Listen to 'Lord Rat' here on the bands soundcloud page
 

Tales Of The Unexpected is available for the bands bandcamp page here

1 comment:

  1. Thankyou very kindly for your nice words, we are all stoked at your review. Put a big smile on my old face. Cheers.

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