Zero Hour - Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond
  Genre: Progressive Metal
  Release Date: 2006
  Label: Sensory Records
  Band Web Site:

“God made TWO of them?”

That was the question I asked myself when I first saw the twin virtuosos Jasun and Troy Tipton take the stage with their band Zero Hour for the first time. And after hearing their latest album Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond or seeing them on stage, you will ask yourself the same question. I guarantee that!

The California-based progressive metal band Zero Hour was formed in 1993 by guitarist Jasun Tipton and his identical twin brother, bassist Troy Tipton. Completing the lineup was vocalist Erik Rosvold and drummer Mike Guy. Their self-titled debut was released in 1998 and the original pressing of 2,000 copies sold out quickly. The album also saw much critical acclaim from the metal press worldwide. The second album, The Towers Of Avarice, was unleashed on the public in 2001, and earned even more praise and accolades. Their debut album was re-mastered and re-released as Metamorphosis in 2003, which gave fans who did not have the chance to buy the debut a long-awaited opportunity to hear the amazing album. Rosvold eventually left the fold and was replaced by Fred Marshall for their 2005 release, A Fragile Mind. Marshall did not last long, however, and was soon to be replaced by ex-Power Of Omens vocalist Chris Salinas, who brought new dynamics of power and emotion to the vocal position. 2006 was a huge year for Zero Hour, as they appeared at the ProgPower festival in Atlanta, Georgia for the second time and released their latest masterpiece, Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond. Get ready for a mind-melting progressive metal experience that pushes the boundaries of virtuosity to its limit…and beyond!

“Face The Fear” begins with a jazzy bass lick before giving way to the thunderous attack of Jasun’s guitar and Guy’s drums in a dizzying display of brutality, melody and virtuosity before the wailing attack of vocalist Salinas joins in on the fun. The mood quiets down for a while as the more gentle side of Salinas takes over, but then the jazzy fusion metal blender takes over again and renders any opinion you have had of progressive metal to puree. Amazing album opener!

“SOMETHING’S GONNA DIE!” screams Chris Salinas as the dinosaur stomp of “The Falcon’s Cry” has grabbed your attention now. You thought you had them figured out? Think again! More complex scales and riffs will leave you wondering “HOW THE HELL DO THEY DO THAT?” The vocals of Salinas are once again amazing on this track as they go from a piercing wail to a softer Geoff Tate-ish delivery. Even during the quieter parts the band does not cease the complexity of their arrangements, but they are never distracting, and they complement the song as a whole. Perfection!

Take a break to relax during "Embrace”, a nice instrumental that will set you up for the next masterpiece… so grab a beer and prepare to be tossed into the maelstrom again!

Holy smokes, do the fingers of the Tipton twins ever stop moving? I doubt it! Brutality, beauty, melody, complexity…it’s all here on the title track! Who would have ever thought that you can get all of those elements to join together in one metal song? Another mind-bender guaranteed to leave you speechless.

They can’t even take it easy on a brief instrumental! “Zero Hour” continues to showcase the talents that have me believing that the Tipton twins cannot be of this earth…and drummer Mike Guy continues to mesmerize me with his rat-tat-tat-tat snare drumming and off-beats. Zero Hour is not human.

“I Am Here” is an absolutely beautiful track which really shows off the emotion of Chris Salinas. At long last, a track you can really catch your breath to, a track where you can finally gain a few precious moments to gather yourself up again…but it will all be for naught, for you will be blown away again. Oh yes…you will!

Okay…”Evidence Of The Unseen”…alright folks, I am sorry. I have to admit something to you all here. If this album were any longer, I would be clean out of any terms I could use to describe the musical mastery on this final track. As a matter of fact…I am out of terms. Bottom line: Listen to the track, and you will have happy feelings! That is all I can say because this track kicks some serious ass. Why should I ruin it for you?

Zero Hour is a band that has instrumental supremacy on all fronts. As a matter of fact, I have never heard any band, be it rock, metal, or prog metal who does what Zero Hour does. The best description I have heard was from the owner of The Hook in Brooklyn, New York, when he told me that Zero Hour reminded him of a free form jazz band playing heavy metal, as their songs have no set structure or verse/chorus/verse pattern. While that is also true, the songs are not overdone and do not have too many layers. They are insanely complex, but at the same time almost minimalist…a musical paradox. Of course, the vocals of Chris Salinas are top notch, the drumming of Mike Guy is on par or even above the drumming of some of the most legendary bashers in prog, and the prodigal Tipton twins will have you wondering if their chops are learned, or are they bestowed by a higher power…a great mystery. Check out their DVD Chops From Hell to learn more about the technique of the Tipton twins.

Before I close out this review, here is one more thing you must know: While the boys in Zero Hour possess skills that many aspiring musicians would die for, they possess none of the ego. They are truly some of the nicest musicians and most down to earth people in the world of metal. They truly deserve all that they have earned so far.

I have seen bands who have written the rulebook on metal. I have seen bands who have re-written the rulebook. I have also seen bands who said, “The hell with the rulebook. We’ll create our own.” Zero Hour belongs in the “we’ll write our own rulebook” category. Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond is an album which will not only become a classic, it will become a benchmark for all other progressive metal bands to follow.

Review written by: Matt B.        
Date: March 6, 2007             
Rating: 5 stars out of 5