aaamusic | On 19, Nov 2011

For a Sheffield band, Zenon sound incredibly American. More specifically, they sound like hair metal after grunge. I was looking for some admittance to this when researching the band, and found their bassist namechecks Poison, and there is a fair amount of that going on, not just in bass, but all over the shop. ‘Can’t Breathe’ is mass of heavy stadium-pop, of sorts. There’s an impassioned yet Nickelback-esque style to the verses, with throaty, melodic vocals and a tastefully inoffensive guitar chord sequence, all caressed by shimmering keyboard effects that all build into that chorus. You know, that chorus, ubiquitous in many 80s bands, albeit with a modern rock feel to it that downplays the backing vocals and sidesteps the falsetto, but you could set your watch to the singing-along cues, and you can feel your hands compelled to punch the air in the sheer impassioned “YEAH!” of it all. I could imagine Zenon being a gateway drug into a major melodic rock and hair metal habit here. They’re still pretty pop-rock, but that keyboard feels one step away from a keytar. Still, credit where credit’s due, I can see that they may come in useful in situations where liking bands such as Tigertailz and Houston might raise a few eyebrows.

 

Katie H-Halinski