### Cwn Annwn: Blood of the Djinn

#### 18/04/08 || Lord K Philipson

They are called… what exactly? Cwn Annwn? Ok… I guess that’s inventive and shit, but I’m not sure it’s too fucken smart if you want people to check out your band. Ofcourse there’s a meaning behind the moniker, fuck did you think? Obviously it translates to something like “the hound of chaos”, according to Welsh mythology, and it’s pronounced coon-uh-NOON. There we go, now we have done exactly what prolly every other site on the planet covering Znn-Zmm has done: reciting their goddamn biography and shit. How’s that for being unique? Fuck unique, hail the penis!

I gotta hand it to them, weird name aside and all, Zun-Zun really put some effort into their promo package and ended up with one of the most professional efforts we have ever received at GD. Good work, kids. Usually the problem with astonishing looking promo-kits is that they are most often made to cover up for the not-as-professional part of the deal: the music. Zim-Zala-Bim-Bum need not worry too much about that since their “twin cities melodic metal” (as displayed on the front of the glossy package) definitely passes for not-completely-shitty. The packaging is better than the music though, don’t get me fucken wrong here, bitch.

They list bands/artists such as Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Bad Religion, In Flames, Rush, Tori Amos and The Haunted as influences, but I can’t really say I hear much of any of those bands in what Zlim-Zlobo-Zan are doing. At times I do hear some small vibes of Guano Apes, mostly thanx to Julie’s vocals, and that’s a compliment. But no matter what, this EP is definitely lacking something… Be it production, be it experienced songwriting, be it better musicianship (especially the cheating drummer irritates me, have in mind they are not even playing fast and still he cheats for the “fast” parts… not acceptable). I can’t really say that Julie’s making a lasting impression on me either, and you all know how much I dig chicks singing. She’s ok, but that’s not good enough for me to start raving the shit out of myself in praise for her, you know.

But it’s not bad stuff, this EP (it’s “to-be-released” according to the attached letter or it’d be placed in the demo section)... Zol-Zol’s got some ideas that work, without a doubt (some of the stuff in “The Scion”, for example, is really neat), but it seems like they need to learn how to execute them better.

Zill-Zill is a decent-at-best band that, with some more work and time, might actually be on to something that will be appreciated and wellknown – in their local area of Minnesota at least.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Self-released?
- Website: www.cwnannwn.com
- Band
- Julie Schultz: vocals
- Neil James: guitars, vocals
- Harry Rostovsev: guitars
- Mike Strohkirch: bass, vocals
- Jake Stone: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. The Scion
- 02. Calypso
- 03. Recoil
- 04. The Djinn
- 05. The fury