“Evolve or die,” utters Scott Mellinger, guitarist of Zao. This was the mindset of the legendary metalcore band going into the conception of their new album, ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’. “As an artist I would not be happy dwelling in the past. I truly feel Zao has more to offer than just playing old songs. I am still not satisfied creatively, I will never be, there's always more to learn and do.”

This mantra isn’t just limited to today. Zao have been evolving for 23 years, and have had no choice but to do so. Even vocalist Dan Weyandt confesses that he “didn’t think we would still be here, but I’m glad we are.” Through numerous line up changes, being pigeonholed as a only Christian ministry band in their formative years, and a brief hiatus they have outlasted most of their peers, who have either faded into obscurity or rely on nostalgia in a bid to stay relevant. ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’ is relevant, and is another step up for Zao.

Drummer, Jeff Gretz, admits that it’s a “huge relief to have [the album] out there,” and that they have been sitting on it a while. “There was also a LOT of downtime,” he continues. “We were sort of jumping in at the studio we were using in between other sessions. Two or three hours here and there. We had a decent budget to work with, but were also trying to be frugal where we could to allow for some of the more elaborate things we wanted to do to happen.”

It has been seven years since Zao released any music, the last being their 2009 album, ‘Awake?’ Mellinger explains that some of these songs were initially conceived around that time. “I’d say that although the songs weren’t laboured over to death that those seven years were used to shape them,” he says. “Sometimes when you can step away from a song for a few months and come back to it with fresh ears you can hear things differently, and know for sure you’re happy with it.”

The Pennsylvanian band has taken a very D.I.Y approach for the release of ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’. The respective members of Zao handled everything in-house. “We’ve always taken pride in producing ourselves so in that aspect we are always soaking up anything people can teach us,” continues Mellinger, discussing what the band has learnt over the years. “The biggest difference this time is we’re taking over all the label duties. We’ve always wanted to be more in charge of all that we do, but sometimes labels have a different vision. It is so rewarding and refreshing to be able to do what we want, the way we want. Jeff has taken the lead in making the label run smoothly, he is also killing it in the publicist department. I mean truly no one will work as hard as you will for your own creation.”

A name that crops up in the history of Zao is notorious producer, Steve Albini. The band worked with him on their 2006 album, ‘The Fear What Keeps Us Here’. Gretz speaks highly of that experience, but it hasn’t come into play on ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’. He explains that this time around it was “more about learning what not to do,” and that the band knows how to make a Zao record.

“I think that’s why we got along so well with Albini,” continues Gretz. “We didn’t go to him to have him show us how to make an Albini record, we went to him because a lot of how he makes records is how we make them and we wanted him to help us make a Zao record. He respected that and never questioned our ridiculous demands in the recording process. So that side of things hasn’t really changed. As far as the label, we have been very exacting in our calculations about what we think the demand for this is, and then slightly playing it on the safe side. As far as the “industry” is concerned I am almost positive our record will be deemed a failure, but my counter to that is, what good is selling 40,000 more records if you are still in the hole.”

One thing that the members of Zao are quick to clear up is the apparent ‘five era’s’ of the band, when asked if ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’ is the start of the sixth era of Zao. “We keep getting asked about this five era thing. I don’t know where that started,” says Gretz. “It seems to be a Wikipedia thing combined with that Solid State Records compilation that came out a few years ago called ‘The 2nd Era’. If anything I would say three, max. The original lineup, then when Dan, Russ and Scott joined is the second, and I guess-post Jesse [Smith, original drummer] is the third. I think five or six eras is a stretch. But yeah, we look at this is just a natural progression of where things have been heading since day one.”

As well as being known for a ferocious and visceral sound, the most unrelenting aspect of Zao has always been the lyrical content. Weyandt is a very poetic writer, and while ambiguous at times, his contribution can make you feel a number of emotions. “The topics on the new album range from miscarriage to broken suicide pacts, existential wormholes to the cathartic dissection of frustrations and observations,” says Weyandt, offering further insight into the narrative of ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’. “If there were an underlying theme pulled from the title I would have to say it would be about people suffering at the hands of other people. It all ties into one of my all time favourite quotes, “Hell is other people” – Sartre.”

The most endearing thing about Zao in 2016 is their desire to move forward, which is a recurring theme throughout our conversation. Weyandt expresses that he feels the band has “always made it a point take chances and push ourselves on every new album,” but does not forget where the band came from. “At this point in time we are able to look back and learn from past songs and albums,” he admits. “ We take the parts, ideas, and sounds that resonate with our listeners and ourselves and keep building on it and let it evolve itself as an entity. There are always pieces of the past in every new thing.”

There are some people that refuse to move on, or indeed, still see Zao as a “nostalgic” band. While certain albums from their back catalogue, particularly 1997’s ‘Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest’ and 1999’s ‘Liberate Te Ex Inferis’, will always be seen as genre defining, that was then and this is now. “We have occasionally been given sort of “offers” for that kind of stuff,” confesses Gretz. “Like “if you guys do a blood and fire/liberate tour it will make a lot of money,” and maybe it would. But it’s really not what we’re about. If we’re not creating something new, there really isn’t a point.”

Zao are not concerned about living up to their own legacy. The past is the past, and is forever etched in time. Weydant explains that the band have a different benchmark to meet. “I wouldn’t say a legacy as much as a personal standard of sorts,” he says. “We want to write songs that we feel are solid and brutal and hope they resonate with our listeners. I feel that’s what we try to live up to in a sense.”

“I don’t personally feel that way at all,” adds Mellinger, when asked if there is an expectation to meet going into a new record. “I really don’t feel like we’ve hit our peak yet, a lot of the earlier Zao records were based on feel and happy accidents. I think we are really coming into our own creatively now and I am always striving for more. The only legacy to me is that Zao for the most part just did what it wanted, and we still do that now but with better insight and years of experience.”

With ‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’ ready to be unveiled, Zao find themselves at the centre of a rebirth of sorts. This is not a return for the sake of it, and by all accounts, this band is here to stay. “In the past we didn’t necessarily have a tangible goal or specific “thing” we had set out to do,” admits Weyandt. “We just pushed forward and wrote songs, then recorded them, then toured, insert chaos, and repeat. The last year or two has been the first time, in my opinion, where we had a real vision or a goal.”

Mellinger reiterates this point. While he remains modest about the high regard that Zao are held in, there is a fire still burning within the band. “I think this band has achieved more than I ever imagined it could, but at the same time I am always going to want to do more,” he says. “Success to me is being able to play and write. I’d still be doing that regardless if people cared to hear it or not, but the fact that some people do care and are willing to pay ticket prices and buy records is truly humbling, that gives us the means to keep going and as long as we can, we will.”

“I feel like there is still a LOT to say, and there is the material already on dock to do it,” concludes Gretz, who clearly his eye firmly fixed on a long-term future for Zao. “I think that “long period” between releases thing is done. It will probably be the other way around. We already have the seeds of at least 2 or 3 things set in motion for the next year or so, and that’s what’s liberating. Now that we are building our own infrastructure and getting a team of people together that are working with us and understand what we’re trying to do. We have a lot more freedom now to push a little more than people are used to in terms of stretching the boundaries of what Zao is.”

‘The Well-Intentioned Virus’ is released on December 9th, and is available to pre-order now.