ZERONIC, Zeitgeist (2009)                                                                                                                                

(von Thomas Hochwarter)
 
Zeronic's latest bid to be pop stars could be their last

© Geoffrey Steinberg

One of Austria’s most hopeful young bands has returned to public attention as Zeronic are to release its third album.

Zeronic are singing about the "price of zeitgeist" and its effect on all of us. Only a few years ago, the Vienna-based group had to pay for its releases itself after they realised it was almost impossible to make a living with music in Austria. Along the way, they lost two band members when key decisions had to be made.

Having toured their hearts out for years, members of Zeronic, who did the support act for big names in the business such as Queens of the Stone Age and Stereophonics, struggled to make ends meet. Their new album "The Price of Zeitgeist" could easily be their final attempt to break through.

Now a three-piece ensemble, Zeronic turned to straight-forward pop after being hailed as the Austrian successors of melancholic greats such as Joy Division, Radiohead and Suede.

The witty songwriting of Mik Tanczos – who now sings about "beautiful CEOs", "empty girls" and the "tittytainment industry" – is again the leading force of Zeronic’s work. But the band has probably never before created so many compelling tunes like those in "The Price of Zeitgeist." The album’s title track is arguably the best hook line to come out of the Austrian music scene this year.

After having worked with Depeche Mode producer Gareth Jones on the one-off single "Images of Girls," Tanczos produced and mixed the new album himself. After desperately trying to keep their cool in the past, the band now, it seems, are not afraid anymore of big tunes and catchy choruses as it has suddenly embraced 1990s Eurodance. And doing so did them well, as the ten new songs prove.

"The Price of Zeitgeist" is out by commitment / Hoanzl on 20 February.

 Review
Thomas Hochwarter
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