Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
Long-running Pennsylvanian metallic post-hardcore band ZAO announce a summer tour run centering primarily in the mid-west region of the U.S.
Joining ZAO in support roles for the entire trek will be the Bay Area’s abrasive WOLF KING and Detroit’s devastating HOLLOW EARTH. The jaunt will launch in Columbus, Ohio on August 2nd and then wrap nearly two weeks later in Morgantown, West Virginia (all dates listed below).
With origins dating back to 1993, ZAO is one of the longest-running and most enduring pioneers of the metalcore genre of aggressive heavy metal. Despite numerous lineup changes, inner turmoil, and ostracization from both the religious and secular music communities, ZAO has risen to the challenge and persevered time and time again.
Though identified as a Christian band by others during their earliest era, ZAO has gradually removed themselves from that designation over the years. They no longer consider the band to be such, but rather a group of open-minded artists, with guitarist Scott Mellinger going on record stating that ZAO “…would prefer to just be known as a metal band“.
Alongside Mellinger in the current incarnation of ZAO are vocalist Dan Weyandt, guitarist Russ Cogdell, bassist Martin Lunn, and drummer Jeff Gretz. Earlier this year, the quintet released the two-song, ‘Decoding Transmissions From The Möbius Strip‘ EP, included here.
– ZAO U.S. Summer Tour 2019 w/ Wolf King & Hollow Earth –
Aug. 02 – Columbus, OH – Big Room Bar
Aug. 03 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
Aug. 04 – St. Louis, MO – Fubar
Aug. 05 – Kansas City, MO – The Riot Room
Aug. 06 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
Aug. 07 – St. Paul, MN – Amsterdam Bar
Aug. 08 – Milwaukee, WI – Club Garibaldi
Aug. 09 – Detroit, MI – Sanctuary
Aug. 10 – Morgantown, WV – 123 Pleasant Street
