Null'O'Zero - Instructions to Dominate

Relatively new band Null’O’Zero from Greece have been grinding away since 2012 and their sophomore LP, Instructions to Dominate finds them nipping at the heals of more classically hard rock and heavy metal-centric groups like Adrenaline Mob. Really, Adrenaline Mob is kind of the only name that I can really think of as a stark comparison to these guys, and that is largely in part due to vocalist Geo Sinner’s gruff and operatic singing style bearing the spitting image of Russel Allen’s. As for the instrumentals, the songs mostly follow a quick-paced traditional heavy metal style with a little bit of thrash bass-heaviness and double-bass drumming and some soaring power metal melodies. There’s maybe a little bit of Anthrax influence coming through on the thrashier cuts and some Zakk Wylde influence on the songs where the guitarists are free to roam all over the fretboard.
What the band nail on this album in capturing the essence of the classic yet crunchy heavy metal sound they lack in that x factor of fiery riffs and interesting song-writing. And I don’t think I’m so wrong in my desire for there to be more catchy melodies on an album of this sort. The early forms of heavy metal, and thrash metal as well, relied heavily on tasty riffs and catchy hooks to deliver their unusually distorted or abrasive musical ideas. Null’O’Zero have the sonic aesthetic down, and they actually structure their songs pretty well, but it’s just hard to find many unique melodic moments on the album.
There are some good moments worth noting though; I like the solo and the clean guitar section on the bridge of “My Last Disguise”. The song “Decline the Legacy” has some cool guitar work throughout as well, and the intro of the aggressive palm-muted cruncher “Better off Dead” taps into some nice, dense, groovy riffage from both the guitars and the bass that I wish was more present on the album.
The band show a bit of awkwardness with the more ballad-y format on “Until the End of Life”, which is the only really visible weakness in their ability to emulate the early style.
Instructions to Dominate has good bones, but it still just needs a bit more to really be as exciting as the band sound like they are to be playing this kind of music. And I know “make good riffs” is such a broad suggestion since good riffs are different in everyone’s ears. And I know it’s something that kind of just comes with doodling around on the guitar aimlessly for a while and finding something that sticks, but it is worth it, and I think some tastier guitar riffs and catchier vocal melodies could do wonders for this band, and I will be looking out for more of those when/if ever they come out with a third LP.

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