ZAO: New Album To Include Limited-Edition DVD

Greensburg, Pennsylvania's ZAO are currently mixing their new album with producer Steve Albini (NIRVANA, THE PIXIES, MELT BANANA) at Electrical Audio in Chicago. The recording/mixing process is being documented for a limited-edition DVD that will come with the album and will also feature all-new interviews. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2004's "The Funeral of God" include "Physician, Heal Thyself", "Everything You Love Will Soon Fly Away", "American Sheets On The Deathbed", "Killing Time Until It's Time To Die", "Kingdom Of Thieves", "Pudgy Young Blondes With Lobotomy Eyes", and "A Last Time For Everything". The sessions will wrap before the band's upcoming tour with IN FLAMES, TRIVIUM and DEVILDRIVER, which commences in Tempe, Arizona, January 25. A tentative May 30 release via Ferret is expected.

As previously reported, ZAO drummer Jeff Gretz has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that guitarist Russ Cogdell has left the group for medical reasons. "[Russ'] knee injury was well documented after our early exit from Warped Tour and subsequent outing with UNEARTH and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN that we were forced to do without him," Gretz said in a written statement. "His current status is that he is not in proper health to tour and work on the record. We did not announce it because we felt there was nothing to announce, the music would speak for itself. Of the eight prior studio albums that ZAO has recorded, Russ has played on three (he had left once before and returned only for 'Funeral of God'). The core of ZAO's writing has been Dan Weyandt and Scott Mellinger for the past five albums (Dan going back even one more than that). The band is perfectly happy with the current situation (as is Russ) and the door is open for him to return when he is willing/able. For years, Scott was the only touring guitarist for ZAO, Russ's involvement was more the exception than the rule."