ZAO Working On New Material

Influential Greensburg, Pennsylvania-based heavy music act ZAO has commenced work on material for its next studio album, which the band plans on releasing through its own label. The group explains, "The music industry has made enough money off of bands and wasted it. Why not put it out ourselves and sink the 'profits' back into future releases?"

Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for the next CD, ZAO states, "We are writing, we have been exchanging songs. We have tossed songs that are 'too standard for ZAO,' we are trying new things. It's liberating. We are doing our best to get Russ [Cogdell, guitar] on the album (as we tried with [2009's] 'Awake?'). Needless to say, we are taking our time because we can.

"So as of right now, ZAO is writing, self-managing and planning on self-releasing."

"Awake?", the latest album from ZAO, sold around 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 19 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Released in May 2009 via Ferret Music, the follow-up to 2006's "The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here" was recorded in Latrobe, Pennsylvania (near Greensburg); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Encinitas, California; and San Marcos, California. AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis and Daniel Castleman headed up the proceedings, along with ZAO's Scott Mellinger.

ZAO's "Where Blood & Fire Bring Rest" was hailed as "one of the most the most influential albums of 1998" by Alternative Press magazine. That album, which introduced frontman Dan Weyandt to the heavy music scene, and follow-up "Liberate te ex Inferis", which introduced guitarist and songwriter Mellinger, continue to be cornerstone albums to a new generation of bands drawing influence from ZAO's dark, passionate and creative music.