Before the release of Zombie Shaker Box’s Encrypted album the band were receiving nominations for various awards, winning some as well, and really gathering a following as one of the best bands in their area (Las Vegas) as well as for the entire country. Metal heads and rockers will no doubt agree as ZSB mixes some key rock elements from the past and infuses them in a fresh new way that would rival some of the acts still in circulation as well as those that rose to fame before ultimately fading out.

Its like if you threw in a hefty dose of grunge: Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Candlebox, and then tossed in a bit of Godsmack and Guns & Roses, you’d get what ZSB  is like. My first go with the album was actually met with some excitement seeing as how the band has this very huge, epic even, sound to them, yet somehow they also sound like the kind of band that you’d hear from one of your best friends who bought their album at a local show or something and wanted to play it for you. I think they have their big rock sound down but there’s also the message in the production of their music that this isn’t for some record label, this is for them and their fans. I respect that.

Its kind of hard to top that intro throwing together all those great bands into one but I’ll give it my best. For starters anyone who loves guitar rock will be extremely happy with Jami Lin’s work here. Lin provides the guitar with a voice of its own, and wow, what a voice. Kirk Hulshoff, and you can find this comparison at the ZSB website, really takes on the long lost vocal style of Layne Staley, offering up a mountain blues type style that’s powerful, has range, and isn’t his only bag of tricks. Tomonori Sugiyama is the bands drummer, who was imported from Japan, and for good reason. Finally you have bass player Cory Kay who adds the final element to the band and boy do they go well together. ZSB might remind some of us of days when rock music wasn’t so manufactured and full of bullshit but also will give us hope that it can be what it once was. Here’s hoping ZSB helps make it happen. Enjoy.