Throughout the late 2010’s and early 2020’s there has been an explosion of Post – Punk/Rock that embraces the DIY roots of its 80’s predecessor whilst mixing in a newfound abrasiveness and creativity. Adding to the ongoing legacy of bands such as Black Midi, Squid, Black Country, New Road and many more, Melbourne/Naarm band Zero City bring this artful approach of making rock music to Australian Shores with their debut LP Contortions.
Album art by Fumihiko Yokouchi - Instagram can be found here
An eight-track experience that showcases the bands impressive musical chops and ability to combine a wide range of influences both contemporary and legendary. From the bombastic opening Screensaver with the crunching guitar riffs that punch you in the mouth from the first second, to the backing brass section that builds tension throughout the verse. A familiar technique from modern Post – Punk bands such as Squid, who often employ this technique to give the listeners a sense of unease whilst the vocals take centre stage with encapsulating lyricism. The stanza of “I have so many thoughts, but none of them are mine” is a line that becomes a focal point of the second half of the track, a catchy yet thought provoking lyric that melds into the chaos of the instrumentation as the band ends the opening track with a crescendo of noise that emulates the best of a band Like King Crimson. Epic, Dark and Poetic.
Not content with staying on a singular route throughout the track list Contortions takes its first hard turn with the second track Why Am I? A significantly more calm and traditional approach to a Post – Rock song. With strong melodies in the lead guitar throughout and a walking bassline as the crux of the song that allows the vocals to take a more storytelling approach (not for the first time). Why Am I? is the first indication of Zero City’s versatility when it comes to songwriting.
Versatility is a key word throughout this album, there are so many ideas and genres explored in this album. Whether it is the warped and chaotic take on Ska Punk that is found on Cadence (personal favourite) that brings immense energy following the much for mellow Why Am I? Cadence highlights that Zero City’s use of Brass isn’t just for moody textures, they can also be utilized as a point of vigour and also just a lot of fun.
New Shoes, fills a similar role to Why Am I? as a cool down in energy, however the approach to this is far more brooding. The first half of New Shoes makes a lot more room for the storytelling approach of the lyrics that hit hard with satire and humour. Playing with the idea of consumerism and façade until its ultimate explosion in the back half of the song, a punk odyssey that holds similar vocal refrains and instrumentation to a personal favourite Canadian Punk band Single Mothers.
Take Zero (Deafening Pleasure) and The Trees Will Grow act as an interesting one two punch in the middle of the album. With Take Zero bringing back the King Crimson elements that were prevalent in the opener Screensaver. Unlike Screensaver, Take Zero is more locked in on groove opposed to being a frantic and exciting album opener. This song increases and decreases its pace from section to section, introducing exciting new elements each time. Whether it be a new groove, guitar melody or the amazing, coordinated riff at the closing section that is mirrored on the Brass, Guitar and Bass. The way Take Zero is a bit of a mirror to the opening track, The Trees Will Grow is a similar approach to the second song, Why Am I? A far more conventional piece of music that follows the experimental. Conventional isn’t inherently a negative phrase and in the case of this album the more conventional songs act as a smart reprise between the chaos. An ability for the listener to catch their breath whilst Zero City can show off the many different styles, they can write in. This LP is very intelligently paced.
Contortions finishes with the pair Housefire and Under My Skin. Housefire draws heavily on the modern Post – Punk Approach that is mastered by a band like Black Midi. High octane, unpredictable and yet still catchy. Housefire sounds to be a sure-fire crowd pleaser in a live setting with the playful control of pace throughout the song. Under My Skin is the prototypical album closer, with its reflective nature. As a listener it ties together the album and makes brings it a sense of finality. A far more sombre vocal performance and a beautifully built up to crescendo that brings us to a grand finale with the line “I didn’t need you then, I don’t need you now” repeated with haunting backing vocals harmonising like a choir and a very simple yet melodically pleasing guitar solo to cap of a thrill ride of an album.
Zero City’s debut Contortions proves that they are a band with a lot of creativity to put out into the world. With this just being a first taste, we cannot wait to what we see next.
An absolute experience that blends the best of old and new underground genres of Rock.
You can listen to the Album here.
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