ZONARIA - The Cancer Empire
March 30, 2009, 15 years ago
(Century Media)
Much like Reese’s combine two pre-existing entities into one delicious chocolate and peanut butter cup, Zonaria mix Hypocrisy and Dimmu Borgir into their own misanthropic metal munchie. Hailing from Sweden and led by songwriter/lyricist/guitarist/vocalist Simon Berglund, Zonaria recorded and mixed The Cancer Empire at the world renowned Studio Fredman with producer Fredrik Nordstrom (Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, At The Gates) at the helm. Despite the lack of originality, both musically and lyrically – Simon’s vocals constantly mimic those of either Peter Tagtgren or Shagrath – Century Media saw fit to steal Zonaria away from Pivotal Recordings after only one album, 2007’s Infamy And The Breed. First single/video, ‘At War With The Inferior’, is full of menacing synth lines and foreboding harmonies. ‘Damnation Dressed In Flesh’ hinges on fiercely blasting drums, whereas ‘Termination Process’ showcases perilous riffs. The majority of the ten songs on The Cancer Empire feature multiple tempo changes, yet they all end up sounding rather similar to each other. Great for a quick fix, Zonaria needs to step out of the shadows in order to make a more lasting impression.
