Who said rock is dead? 2015 has arrived, bringing with it fresh new music opportunities for the rock and metal world. A large part of this arrival comes in the form of London – based heavy rockers, Zoax, who have brought with them their long awaited new EP, ‘Is Everybody Listening?’
Zoax are not a band for the faint hearted; Adam Caroll’s impressive vocal range varies from soft yet harmonious melodies to delightfully brutal screams that will leave a mark on anyone whose eardrums have the privilege to hear. There is a progressive twist throughout the album, providing the perfect mix of the classic ‘head bangers’ metal and the softer, somewhat mysterious progressive rock.
The EP begins with the title track, ‘Is Everybody Listening?’ This song is notably shorter than their others, wrapping up at just 1 minute and 37 seconds in length – however, this is something that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The briefness of this song gives the EP a subtle yet powerful opening, and the rhythmic drum beat that opens the song somewhat prepares listeners for what is yet to come.
Moving on from the first track, second piece ‘Lonely Souls’ makes its appearance. This band certainly waste no time with getting to the grit of things – coming in at just under four minutes long, ‘Lonely Souls’ is a progressive treat for any music fan. Combining metal elements like the heavy bass lines, guitar riffs and (if possible) even heavier vocals with subdued, Muse-like tones makes the song not only musically gifted, but musically interesting. This applies to the EP as a whole – rather than just listening to constant ferocious riffs and thundering basslines (not like there’s anything wrong with that…), this band mix their sound up with a combination of completely different styles, giving our ears something a little different to listen to.
A personal favourite of mine, ‘Click’ is the third track on the EP, opening with a slow yet robust guitar riff. Clocking in at just under four minutes long, Click certainly gives its listeners something to bang their heads to, which works well with slower, more contrasting songs like Is Everybody Listening?
Bringing the EP to a close are tracks such as ‘Zero Point Seven’, ‘Right Words’ and ‘Innocent Eyes’. Not unlike the rest of the band’s songs, these provide an interesting yet progressive mix of rock and metal- this clearly becoming the band’s signature and unique sound and style.
Overall, the EP in general is a fantastic product of a promising band – here’s hoping Zoax will be making more and more appearances in the near future.
