Every now and then I come across bands that don’t really do anything new and exciting, but they do what they do with such sheer enthusiasm and fun that I have to love them for that.
Authority Zero doesn’t sound like your typical pissed-off punk band, nor do they sound like your typical shallow pop-punk band. They do sound like plenty of things I’ve heard before, the top two being Rise Against and Pennywise (though they’ve been around long enough to not be accused of imitating Rise Against, in any case), and even, on “Drunken Sailor,” the Dropkick Murphys.
Still, they’re relentlessly positive, so even when a few songs get repetitive, it’s hard to dislike them. They’re catchy as hell (“On the Edge” is currently thrashing around in my brain) and fun, even when the splash of ska becomes a bit much.
Never falling into the trap of sounding the same on each song, Authority Zero ranges from punk to funk, anthems to brooding calls for peace, to rollicking Irish drinking songs.
Singer Jason DeVore’s voice is at home screaming, chanting, or crooning. Not as political here as their previous album, they seem to be holding out for a better future, and after listening, I’m fairly confident we’ll all find one.
