PAUL WARDINGHAM - Day Zero: Rise of the Horde

PAUL WARDINGHAM

Album: Day Zero: Rise of the Horde

Genre: Instrumental Cyber Metal

Release Date: July 8th 2020

Country: Australia

Label: Enigmatic Records

Band Links: WEBSITE / BANDCAMP / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / FACEBOOK

My July shout-out for Blessed Altar Zine was again a discovery thanks to KMan’s Full Force Friday. While scrolling through his various offering on July 8th, my eyes were caught by “Australian Progressive / Instrumental Cyber Metal Shredder” – A description I couldn’t resist at all. The first track I heard was “Existence”, and it caught me at once… I wasn’t even completely through this first song, before I hit the “order” button.

Time to take a closer look: PAUL WARDINGHAM is an Australian musician. “Day Zero: Rise of the Horde” - his 5 th solo album - is a “Mad Max meets Resident Evil” inspired, futuristic metal thriller. It “introduces us to an alternate reality earth set in a perpetual winter, with the vast majority of the population infected with a rage virus. The few remaining survivors habit the far northern regions of the planet. […] Only one man can save humanity from the rise of the horde… and a new evil that has emerged from the without. His name is… Wirehead” (description on Bandcamp).

“The Last Transmission” opens the album in a dark mood, and after this short intro, “Day Zero” breaks in with full power, which doesn’t stop for the next 11 tracks anymore. The music, especially the guitar, tells the story in a mesmerizing way. Paul has an incredible dynamic in his song-writing, and following his musical story line is amazing. You’ll hear lots of virtuoso guitar playing on “Day Zero: Rise of the Horde”, supported by different background sounds, that bring in the perfect end-time vibe.

All together, “Day Zero: Rise of the Horde” is an impressive, instrumental album, and best enjoyed from front to back. The combination of fantastic musical skills, great song-writing and amazing mixing make it a real listening pleasure. And as this is the first in a two-album series, part 2 is highly anticipated here now.

Written by Katha