Album Review: Ethos, Pathos, Logos, zhOra

Hailing from Clonmel, the band formed in 2011 and released their first full length album in 2013. The band broke into the international metal scene by winning the Wacken Metal Battle Ireland and playing the German festival in 2016 to a crowd of stein infused enthusiasts.

zhOra’s sound bears resemblance to American bands Mastodon, Fit for an Autopsy, Pantera and Tool - while simultaneously sounding like no one else. The band possesses a great ability to create dense atmosphere through soaring experimental music movements while maintaining a crushing metal sound. With their second album, ‘Ethos, Pathos, Logos’, the band strongly affirm themselves as one of the leading bands in Irish metal today.

The album opens with ‘The Stone’ which sets the tone and provides a clear idea of what’s to come. The opener is a chugging progression to a roaring finale, a fitting introduction to the record. The second track and first single of the album ‘Riverchrist’ is easily the heaviest number on the album. The song feels as if it’s been dragged out from a murky Louisiana swamp with sludging guitars soaked in a visceral energy that resonates.

Songs ‘Jettatura’ and ‘Rubic(On) the Styx’ highlight the songwriting talent of the band, with a fusion of progressive guitar and dynamic drumming that never fails to excite. The tone then shifts slightly with the track ‘Earth_d’ - a haunting piece with vocal harmonies and a bluesy feel reminiscent of Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley’s work on Jar of Flies. The consistent dual vocals works well here, and on gut-punching track ‘Sin Eater’, but does become slightly tiresome on other parts of the album.

Overall, ‘Ethos, Pathos, Logos’ is a terrific achievement for metal music in Ireland. zhOra have captured their unique sound for the masses to enjoy and we look forward to what they have in store for 2018. Check out their new animated video for ‘Riverchrist’ below: