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Since forming in 2007, Mike Eber (Smother Party), Jeff Eber (Dysrhythmia), and Johnny DeBlase (Sabbath Assembly, Many Arms) have sought to blur the lines between prog, jazz, and metal. ZEVIOUS released their self-titled debut in 2008 which featured a more traditional acoustic sound and hinted at the compositional style the band was beginning to develop. Soon after, the band caught the attention of Cuneiform Records and released After the Air Raid in 2009, abandoning the traditional sound of their first record for a more power-trio style involving louder volumes with a leaning toward melodic/polymetric compositions. The subsequent years marked a period of frequent touring and musical development for the band. In 2013 ZEVIOUS released Passing Through the Wall, their second album for Cuneiform and an even more aggressive realization of their trademark polymetric style. After a fruitful US tour with Dysrhythmia in late 2013, the band worked feverishly on a new batch of material while playing more on the NYC metal scene with acts such as Behold...the Arctopus, Krallice, Ocrilim, Child Abuse, Cellular Chaos, and others.
Lowlands marks ZEVIOUS' first effort for Nefarious Industries and offers a subtle change in direction from their previous two releases. On Lowlands the band explores a hypnotic and more streamlined rhythmic approach while maintaining their abrasive edge with influences ranging from new-wave and 20th century composition to doom and black metal.
"Those already familiar with ZEVIOUS will know what to expect from “Smear Campaign,” the first jam from the power trio’s Lowlands album. For the uninitiated, ZEVIOUS contains members of Dysrhythmia, Sabbath Assembly, Many Arms, Smother Party and other out-there acts, playing off-kilter instrumental music combining elements of jazz, metal and prog. Their 2013 album, Through the Wall, is a total mindfucker and Lowlands promises to do the same, albeit in a more streamlined way." - Decibel Magazine
"ZEVIOUS continues to blur the lines between prog, jazz, and metal to create something likely to appeal to all fans of forward-thinking music, regardless of the genre. At no point does the band achieve, say, a Psyopus-level of heaviness, but they’ve definitely got the mathcore gene for resisting conformity in favor of bravely exploring uncharted territory. Put more succinctly: you really need to check out Lowlands." - MetalSucks
"What do you get when you put Mike Eber (Smother Party), Jeff Eber (Dysrhythmia), and Johnny DeBlase (Sabbath Assembly, Many Arms) into a room? Apparently atmospheric, completely devastating and very well-recorded instrumental metal. Enter the world of ZEVIOUS." - Metal Injection
"Rhythmic, vigorous record full of passion, diligence, and excitement." - Ultimate Guitar
"New York’s ZEVIOUS is back with their fourth full-length album, Lowlands, scheduled for release on August 17. Not unlike on their previous efforts, this guitar / bass / drums instrumental power trio lands somewhere between math rock, prog, and metal, with a few hints of minimalist classical and jazz along the way. […] King Crimson, Sonic Youth, Ruins, late-era Present, and Ahleuchatistas are some good starting points for comparisons. But ZEVIOUS is their own animal, and Lowlands is more than worth checking out for that reason alone." - Avant Music News
"Upon hearing the record for the first time, the likes of King Crimson and Fugazi raced through my brain and, upon reading the band’s background, the jazz influence makes a good degree of sense. Nonetheless, Lowlands, for me, has more in common with the awesome no-wave and art rock bands that Martin Bisi nurtured in his studio than with Davis or Coltrane. […] Lowlands is a fascinating journey across a musical landscape so mottled with influences that, if it were to be rendered as a piece of art, it would be a Dali painting. […] Lowlands is one of those rare records that you can listen to a million times and you’ll always hear something new within. Without vocals to lead the listener to a particular place, instrumental music has the ability to stimulate the senses and ZEVIOUS make a perfect case for this. Exceptionally talented, they never allow their proficiency to overshadow the importance of the song and, as a result, Lowlands feels spontaneous and alive with possibility. The beautiful vinyl pressing, with Bryan Olson’s stunning artwork, is the icing on the cake – this is an exceptional piece of work in whatever format you discover it. 10." - SonicAbuse