//------------------------------//
// Praise Zao (Interlude Chapter) 
// Story: 20-04 
// by MellowSoul 
//------------------------------//

"IN A TIME OF QUIETNESS, I REFLECT ON CHILDHOOD MEMORIES CAUGHT WISPING THROUGH MY MIND! FALLING LEAVES CREATE THE STAGE! WORDS SPOKEN WERE NOT CHERISHED ON THE LAST DAY OF OUR FRIENDSHIP, AND THOSE WORDS WERE POSSIBLY THE LAST! WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS!?"

Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy changed the tempo to a more progressive groove.

"AS A DREAMING CHILD, I AWAKEN TO A NIGHTMARE! AFTER A GENTLE NUDGE, I FIND OUT YOU ARE GONE!"

The groove changed a second time in rapid succession.

"THE MACHINES THAT KEPT YOU ALIVE WERE CARELESS! DID YOU ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU BEFORE YOU PASSED ON!?"

With one final shift, the music was altered to a variation of its original form.

"YOU SLIPPED AWAY INTO THE GROUND! YOU BROKE THE VANITY! YOU BROUGHT THE SILENCE!"

The final riff rang out as a trapped echo.




"Did you get all that, Spike?" Twilight asked her younger brother.

"Fuck yeah, I did! That was insane! Jesus!"

"What the hell was that," Rainbow asked in surprise, "I've never heard this before: like, ever!"

"That was from Zao's record Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest. It was one of three albums that reshaped metalcore into what it is now."

"What were the other two?"

"Eighteen Visions' EP Lifeless and Bloodlet's LP The Seraphim Fall. The difference is, Zao was the first to consistently use melodic riffs and breakdowns in Drop C. Before then, the range stayed between E Standard, D Sharp, and Drop D."

"So this was considered groundbreaking shit."

"At the time, yeah. Their first album All Else Failed was more straight-up hardcore, but this one was far darker and heavier. They brought in a new screamer. The whole album was for a friend of his who passed away."

"That explains the brutality."

"It's still their heaviest album to date. They re-released AEF, but cut some of the tracks, which kinda sucked. They had a really cool acoustic piece for a bonus track on the original. They've kinda shifted away from the religious stuff since Blood and Fire came out."

"I'm not surprised. That kinda shit makes you question everything."

"Did you know the original vocalist of 7 Angels 7 Plagues was religious?"

"Nah. Didn't really come through much in their lyrics."

"Cave In and Zao were worlds apart at the time, but they both changed hardcore and metal in drastic ways. 7 A was their original successor. Now the torch is being passed to the guys in Unearth."

"They're coming out with a new album soon, aren't they?"

"The Oncoming Storm."

"I can't wait to hear it!"

"Same here."

A water bottle flew through the air. Twilight caught it with her free hoof.

"Drink up, sugarcube. That'll shred your vocal chords without somethin' to soothe 'em."

Twilight smiled in Applejack's direction.

"Thanks."

Twilight guzzled what was left in the bottle.

"What now?" Rainbow questioned.

"Now, we go murder Sephiroth." Twilight replied.

"I'll order the food."

"I want lava cakes!" Pinkie shouted.