2018 has been a fertile year when it comes to discovering new music. Three months in and I’ve lost count of the number of bands I’ve discovered or rediscovered. Zombie Picnic is one of those I’m quite proud of. They’re from Limerick in the Republic of Ireland, a country very close to my heart and home of one of my favorite bands, Overhead, The Albatross. One song was enough to make me want to do some digging on the band and soak in all their music. I was intrigued with how they managed to blend the best of fully instrumental prog and post-rock in one album so effortlessly.
Listening to Rise Of A New Ideology multiple times and peeling back layers, I then noticed it is not only about prog and post though. Zombie Picnic also throw in quite a few surprises along this six-track journey. There are pinches of psych and space rock in a way it feels retro and kind of takes you back to that 60s/70s feel, but the modern and clean production bring you back to this day and age.
If you usually think prog is all about the individualism and virtuosity, I can assure you their flavour is somewhat unique. This is prog minus the “wankery”. There’s plenty of wiggle room for all instruments and they all play a crucial part. Everything is there to make the song beautiful and, most of all, to make it work.
Rise Of A New Ideology is a great album and flows like a gem as a whole. However, I do have to point out my two personal favorite highlights: ‘DEFCON’ and ‘Anger In Storage (Denial Will Follow)’. I love how the track ‘DEFCON’ starts softly with the drums and guitar simmering away and how it reaches boiling point. The guitar effects and pedal usage is insane. ‘See Beyond’ has a bit of a Classic Rock feel to it.
The last track’s title, ‘Anger in Storage (Denial Will Follow)’, does it total justice. It starts and ends angry and vicious. Piles and piles of riffs. Without a doubt the heaviest track on the album.
While paying homage to bands such as Pink Floyd and King Crimson, Zombie Picnic are still one of the most refreshing acts I’ve heard this year. They don’t play it safe, they venture into riff-filed, colourful, retro territories, throw in some airy post-rock structures and finally, and most importantly, add a big chunk of themselves and their own originality. Looking forward to seeing what they’ll be up to next.
