Origin: Pennsylvania, USA  
Genres: Christian Metal, Metalcore
Official Site
Page online: June 8, 2004
Last update/review: May 10, 2024

Zao

Zao has been one of the leading Christian metalcore bands for some time now, despite frequent lineup changes and general band instability. Musically, they are best described as a mid-paced death/thrash combo, displaying inventive songwriting skills and plenty of variance from one song to the next. The vocals are a shade one-dimensional, as is often the case with metalcore bands, but they are vicious and forceful. Their lyrics are far less heavy-handed than many Christian bands, thus giving them an audience outside the usual Christian boundaries.

Recent album: Live From The Church, released on April 19, 2024.

Current Members

Daniel Weydant

vocals

Scott Mellinger

guitars

Russ Cogdell

guitars

Martin Lunn

bass

Jeff Gretz

drums

Former Members/Guests

Shawn Jones

vocals

Roy Goudy

guitars

Brad Detar

guitars

Mic Cox

bass

Rob Horner

bass

Shawn Koschik

bass

Jesse Smith

drums

Stephen Peck

drums


Discography



All Else Failed  
1996 Tooth & Nail
  1. Resistance
  2. In Loving Kindness
  3. Endure
  4. Growing In Grace
  5. Foresight
  6. PS77
  7. Exchange
  8. In These Times Of Silence
  9. A Simple Reminder
  10. All Else Failed
  • Shawn Jones
  • Roy Goudy
  • Mic Cox
  • Jesse Smith


The Splinter Shards The Birth Of Separation  
1997 Tooth & Nail
  1. Times Of vSeperation
  2. Surrounds Me
  3. Exchange
  4. Particle
  5. Repressed
  6. In Loving Kindness
  7. Endure
  8. The Children Cry For Help
  9. Resistance
  10. Song 1
  • Shawn Jones
  • Roy Goudy
  • Mic Cox
  • Jesse Smith


Where Blood And Fire Brings Rest  
1998 Tooth & Nail
  1. Lies Of Serpents, A River Of Tears
  2. To Think Of You Is To Treasure An Absent Memory
  3. A Fall Farewell
  4. March
  5. Ember
  6. Ravage Ritual
  7. Fifteen Rhema
  8. For A Far Desire
  9. The Latter Rain
  10. Violet
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Brad Detar
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Jesse Smith


Liberate Te Ex Infernis  
1999 Tooth & Nail
  1. Intro
  2. Savannah
  3. Autopsy
  4. If These Scars Could Speak
  5. The Ghost Psalm
  6. Desire The End
  7. Dark Cold Soul
  8. Skin Like Winter
  9. Kathleen Barbra
  10. Man In Cage Jack Wilson
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Rob Horner
  • Jesse Smith


Zao  
2001 Tooth & Nail
  1. 5 Year Winter
  2. Alive Is Dead
  3. Tool To Scream
  4. Witchhunter
  5. Trash Can Hands
  6. The Race Of Standing Still
  7. F.J.L.
  8. The End Of The World
  9. The Dreams That Don't Come True
  10. At Zero
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Jesse Smith


Parade Of Chaos  
2002 Tooth & Nail
  1. The Buzzing
  2. Suspend/Suspension
  3. Parade Of Chaos
  4. Angel Without Wings
  5. Killing Cupid
  6. Free The Three
  7. Man In The Womb
  8. A Pirates Prayer
  9. The Ballad Of Buddy Bigsby
  10. How Are The Weak Free
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Jesse Smith


Legendary  COMPILATION
2004 Solid State
  1. Skin Like Winter
  2. 5 Year Winter
  3. A Fall Farewell
  4. Suspend Suspension
  5. Walk on by, Walk on Me
  6. Ravage Ritual
  7. Times of Separation
  8. Savannah
  9. The Race of Standing Still
  10. Free the Three
  11. Angel Without Wings
  12. Ember
  13. The Ghost Psalm
  14. Trash Can Hands
  15. The Icarus Complex
  16. One Last Time
  17. All Dressed Up (With No Place to Go)


The Funeral Of God  
2005 Ferret
  1. Breath of the Black Muse
  2. The Rising End (The First Prophecy)
  3. The Last Revelation (The Last Prophecy)
  4. The Last Song From Zion
  5. Live ... From the Funeral of God
  6. The Lesser Lights of Heaven
  7. In Times Gone Past
  8. Praise the War Machine
  9. Truly, Truly, This Is The End
  10. I Lay Sleepless In My Grave
  11. Psalm of the City of the Dead
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Shawn Koschik
  • Stephen Peck


The Lesser Lights Of Heaven  VIDEO
2005 Ferret


The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here  
2006 Ferret
  1. Cancer Eater
  2. Physician Heal Thyself
  3. Everything You Love Will Soon Fly Away
  4. It's Hard Not To Shake With A Gun In Your Mouth
  5. Kingdom Of Thieves
  6. Killing Time, 'Til It's Time To Die
  7. There Is No Such Thing As Paranoia
  8. Purdy Young Blondews With Lobotomy Eyes
  9. My Love, My Love (We've Come Back From The Dead)
  10. American Sheets On The Deathbed
  11. A Last Time For Everything
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Martin Lunn
  • Jeff Gretz


Awake?  
2009 Ferret
  1. 1,000,000 Outstretched Arms Of Nothing
  2. Entropica
  3. The Eyes Behind The Throne
  4. Human Cattle Masses Marching Forward
  5. Romance Of The Southern Spirit
  6. What Will You Find?
  7. Awake?
  8. Quiet Passenger Pt. 1
  9. Reveal
  10. Quiet Passenger Pt. 2/The World Caved In
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Martin Lunn
  • Jeff Gretz


Xenophobe  EP
2015 independent
  1. Xenophobe
  2. Fear Itself
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Martin Lunn
  • Jeff Gretz


The Well-Intentioned Virus  
2016 Observed
  1. The Weeping Vessel
  2. A Well-Intentioned Virus
  3. Broken Pact Blues
  4. Jinba Ittai
  5. Apocalypse
  6. Xenophobe
  7. Haunting Pools
  8. Observed/Observer
  9. The Sun Orbits Around Flat Earth Witch Trials
  10. I Leave You in Peace
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Martin Lunn
  • Jeff Gretz


The Crimson Corridor  
2021 Observed
  1. Into the Jaws of Dread
  2. Ship of Theseus
  3. Croatoan
  4. The Final Ghost
  5. R.I.P.W.
  6. The Crimson Corridor
  7. Transitions
  8. Nothing's Form
  9. Creator/Destroyer
  10. Lost Star
  11. The Web
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Martin Lunn
  • Jeff Gretz


Live From The Church  LIVE
2024
  • Daniel Weydant
  • Scott Mellinger
  • Russ Cogdell
  • Martin Lunn
  • Jeff Gretz



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