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Zero Hour - Biography


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2001-

Biography

In 1993, almost everyone thought that metal was history. Guitarist Jasun Tipton and bassist Troy Tipton, twin brothers from the San Francisco Bay Area, did not succumb to these prevailing doubts. They believed that even through the darkest hour, metal would live on, and they set about forming a band that would not only keep progressive metal in a place of honor, but would shatter the mold in the process. And so in creating Zero Hour, the brothers envisioned a dark, heavy, emotional vibe, expressed through intricate arrangements, forceful vocals, and meaningful lyrics.

Zero Hour self-financed there first release which established the group as a prog-metal tour de force upon its issuance in 1998; an initial pressing of 2,000 units sold out quickly, leaving fans worldwide anxiously awaiting more Zero Hour material. The praises of the press flowed from around the globe, and the self-titled debut garnered raves from Flash (Italy), Snake Pit (Germany), Hard Roxx (UK), and many more. Michael Rensen of the premier German magazine Rock Hard proclaimed, "Zero Hour is one of the five Best Progressive Newcomers in the late '90s!"

The band's second album "The Towers of Avarice" (Released by The Laser's Edge/Sensory label) won sparkling reviews from nearly every magazine around the World it appeared. Such magazines included Hit Parader, Metal Maniacs, Bass Player and Sci Fi (US), Aardschok (Netherlands), Metal Hammer (Hungary), Rock Hard (Germany, France), Heavy Oder Was? (Germany), Scream (Norway), BW&BK (Canada), Hard Rock (France) and in countless webzines and fanzines. The band quickly established a solid fan base around the World. They successfully toured Europe and performed twice at Prog Power USA in Atlanta, the largest prog-metal music festival in the World.

Zero Hour is now fronted by vocalist Chris Salinas (formerly of Power of Omens). The new line up recorded 7 songs under the guidance of the eminently talented Producer/Engineer Dino Alden. Alden, having finished work on Marty Friedman's (Ex-Megadeth) newest solo album, gave the 7 songs an impressive professional shine. The album is titled "Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond" and is already being held as one the years most anticipated releases. The band will be hitting the road to promote the new album throughout the US and Europe. Jasun and Troy have also released their first instructional videos through Chops From Hell. The momentum of Zero Hour is stronger than ever as they continue to carve their name into prog-metal history.

In 2008 the band released their latest album, Dark Deceiver, via Sensory Records. Later that same year bassist Troy had an accident while working out that prevented him from continuing to play/perform. The band decided to go on hiatus afterwards to give him time to recover, and to work on other projects. It wasn't until a recent interview in 2013 that Jasun (guitarist, and twin brother of bassist Troy) revealed that the band had since decided to disband due to Troy's inability to perform at the required/desired physical levels to perform the band's music.