Day Zero: Rise of the Horde

I’ve been recently hinted about the existence of Australian guitar maniac Paul Wardingham and the release of his latest record “Day Zero: Rise of the Horde”. I really didn’t know what to expect going into this album as I just jumped in without any background check and on the other end of it, I must say I’m genuinely impressed. This guy has created a very unique, impressive and satisfying sound that really caught me off guard and started messing with my serotonin levels before I knew what hit me.

The intro track “The Last Transmission” skillfully paints a post-apocalyptic scenery with the use of high-tech electronic effects and ominous orchestrations, opening the doors to the fantastic imagery that this dude’s music portrays. I understand that this is a first part of a two-album concept, and though I struggle to figure out how exactly an instrumental piece plays a concept, I must agree that the music itself is adventurous enough to make narratives come to life. I wouldn’t know where exactly to place this album genre-wise but I would mention progressive metal, djent, classic heavy metal and electronic as main influences.

The sound on this album is incredibly clear, powerful and heavy. It rarely happens that I find instrumental music this striking and satisfying at first listen. The production is very hi-fi, impactful and polished, revealing a sound that is both thunderous and epic. The drums, which I assume might be programmed, sound truly massive, incredibly precise and oomphy. The backbone of this music consists of alternations between kick-snare patterns, fast-paced grinding akin to death metal drumming and machine-gun style double bass that really packs a punch. Although for the most part the drum work is kept on the background, it is always very prominent, and at times it bursts into strums and spectacular flurrys to complement the guitar wizardry happening on top of it. And this is where we get to Paul’s incredible virtuosity, which makes all the bucks as far as this album is concerned. The riffs are very technical, fast and aggressive but groovy and hooky enough to grab you on first listen. And the lead sections dominate the sound spectrum at all times. Epic, memorable lead melodies soar through the wall of sound, giving a sense of direction and a voice to the songs. And the actual solo sections are truly face melting. I would describe his style as a blend of classic heavy metal soloing interlaced with proggy neo-classical/shred, putting up a real show. What I really enjoy about the guitar parts, be it riff or lead sections, is that despite being incredibly technical, they are catchy and infectious to the bone, and also very well-suited for the mood that the music aims to evoke. I feel he puts as much effort in virtuosity as he puts in fitting the elements together to bring the songs to life and make them speak for themselves. A compositional feature that particularly tickles my fancy is how he will always mash contrasting elements together, like for example falling from a fast-paced shred into a headbanging groove, or alternating crammed technical passages with spacious, epic moments. This sort of balance keeps the music flowing and evolving in interesting and captivating ways, making you surf along the tides that it brings rather than just witness it. It really grabs you and takes you away.

The songs are pretty similar in style and approach but diversity is present within the songs, particularly by blending more intense, and more relaxed musical phrases. Normally I would criticize an album for maintaining the same sound for the whole duration, but with this one I really can’t complain because it’s an incredibly sophisticated and satisfying sound that I just want to hear more of. It’s so punchy and aggressive, yet so melodic that it’s almost singable. And despite being a total shredder, he also proves capable of some seriously emotive playing (see lead sections in “The Fallen”).

To materialize all the musicianship and tech-wizardry into an artistically relevant manifestation, the metal components are wrapped in subtle, ominous and incredibly cinematic orchestral as well as robotic, electronic effects that take this shred album and turn it into a dynamic, dramatic display of supersonic sci-fi witchcraft with a machinery-computerized vibe that I just can’t get enough of! The music really builds images and takes you places within your imagination, creating a surreal experience. There are also a few brief atmospheric moments where the orchestrals and electronics take hold, accompanied by some clean guitar chords that allow some breather space for the listener and also boost the imagery even further. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure what exactly the aim with this album was, but sitting through it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that captivates your senses and stimulates your imagination. I would recommend it to any fan of technical music, electronic modern sounds, or just guitar nerdery.

Originally written for The Metal Observer