Call Upon The Author

As I sit here typing with one hand, so that the other can keep my diarrhoea stricken cat from getting on either me or the laptop, I thank fuck that this is such a fantastic album or this really would be a chore to write.
Despite having seen their name a countless number of times in various publications and festival programmes, I had never actually heard Zico Chain until now, which may have been a blessing in disguise, as I came into this release with no preconceptions of what it would or should sound like, enabling me to feel amazed at what a shining example of British rock music this is.
From opening salvo Evasion to album closer I Am The Silence, the band continue to deliver quality tracks, many of which sound different to each other. The album’s LostProphets-on-a-good-day-sounding opener has the vocals screaming right from the start of the track, before The Real Life and New Romantic come at you with hooks so catchy that when the album is over, you have to go back to the beginning to hear them again.
This is the band’s second long player yet the lessons learnt through writing and recording the several EP’s Zico Chain have released have come to fruition and The Devil in Your Heart is the sound of a band with longevity in this ever changing scene of rock and metal.
This longevity is largely brought on by the fact that the influences on the songwriting in evidence here appear so varied with songs like the aforementioned Evasion being quite metal in nature, whilst Our Evil is almost punk in nature and the ludicrously titled Case #44PQ_110807 has a feel reminiscent of HIM with an epic almost Papa Roach-esque chorus.
Rather than the popular trend of ending an album on a calmer note, Zico Chain selected I am the Silence to bookend the record, an up tempo half screamed number with a huge guitar hook and the chorus line of “there is no hope” – not if you want to compete with these boys there isn’t.
Whilst it may not quite have the chops to make ‘Album of 2012’, The Devil in Your Heart is certainly a contender for the Top 5 and definitely worth a look. You can also catch the band on tour in September across the UK and it’s clear many of the songs here are going to be fantastic live.