With a career stretching back 23 years, reggae-infused punk rock band Authority Zero returned with their sixth album in the form of ‘Broadcasting To The Nations’ earlier this month. The record sees the Arizona quartet throw together elements of ska, SoCal punk, and reggae with impressive results. Songs such as ‘Bayside’ and ‘Destiny and Demise’ thrive with punk rock grit, while ‘La Diabla’ bounces along bringing a summery ska vibe to proceedings.
Produced by punk icon Bill Stevenson (Black Flag/Descendents) at The Blasting Room studio in Colorado, ‘Broadcasting To The Nations’ is a punk melting pot that brings Authortiy Zero into 2017 with reinvigorated purpose while not completely abandoning their origins.
To give us a better insight into the songs on ‘Broadcasting To The Nations’, founding member and vocalist Jason DeVore penned a track-by-track breakdown of the record.
Broadcasting To The Nations by Authority Zero
First One In The Pit
Jason: The opening track. ‘First One In The Pit’ is exactly about what it sounds like. Going to shows and exhausting yourself to shake off the crap you may have going on in your life. It’s coming together with a community of unified people, who may be feeling the same thing, and letting go and losing yourself in it.
Reconciliation
Jason: ‘Reconciliation’ is a song about coming to terms with your inner battles. To stop making excuses for yourself and realising that maybe it’s not everyone and everything else, but maybe yourself standing in your own way.
Destiny and Demise
Jason: The is one of my favourites on the album. I love the intensity right out of the gate with the crack of the snare drum. It’s a song about pushing yourself through life instead of pulling back with relationships, desires, hopes, and dreams. Acknowledging there may be consequences and repercussions along the way and realising they are necessary to accomplish the goals and milestones you’ve striven for.
Broadcasting To The Nations
Jason: The title track. In short, ‘Broadcasting To The Nations’ is about everything you say having an impact whether negative or positive, false or be it accusations, is in fact heard by everyone and does indefinitely influence opinion and actions taken by those words. From us, as band members, shouting our messages across the globe to propaganda and reporters through widespread media. It all has an impact in a strong sway in life’s direction and path. In all not being a puppet and standing on your own two feet with your own mindset avoiding the static.
Summer Sickness
Jason: ‘Summer Sickness’ is a nod to the past and being present in the now. Not living in the past, but never forgetting it and what it has shaped you into. Enjoying the reminiscing of so many great memories and with that remembering that joy to create new ones to look back on again in the future.
Bayside
Jason: ‘Bayside’ is to me a fun but serious pop-rock track. The idea behind the lyrics is coming to terms with those issues and tough decisions you may be pending and putting at Bay. The truth of the matter finally shows it’s difficult to face at some point and comes out. It eventually makes you face your biggest fears.
Revolution Riot
Jason: Just as the song reads and the first line says. “You say you want change? Yeah we all want change, but have you done a fuckin’ thing to try and change these things?” If there’s something in this world or your own life or a given situation that you’re unhappy with, then the only way (through my experience) to change that situation is by starting with you and your choice to do so by taking action.
Sevens
Jason: As with many of our songs it has much to do with working through your inner battles. Breaking down walls in your way and achieving the best within yourself whether be addiction, personal battles, or worldly for that matter. Go out fighting and leave nothing for people to tear apart of you.
La Diabla
Jason: ‘La Diabla’ was a lot of fun to record and can be to each of the listeners own individual interpretations. I got to play with more vocal melodies and write out a storyline of sorts. We had a lot of fun with organs and more of a pop element on this one. We got to get extremely creative, both musically and lyrically.
Creepers
Jason: I love how different this track is. When it was first got brought to the table, I immediately latched onto its weirdness, diversity in styles, and transitions. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster and again can be interpreted to each individual with the lyrical content as it’s pretty abstract.
When We Rule The World
Jason: This is our first real single off the album that we’ll be releasing shortly. We just shot a video for it with a bunch of great kids of friends, as well as kids from The School of Rock. They all did an amazing job and stayed strong when recording in the Arizona desert heat. I originally wrote this song acoustically and it transferred over to a rock song really well I feel. The premise behind this song is a couple things. One of which is us as a society and being wary of our actions and thinking the damage we’re doing to our planet will have no repercussions, as well as situations in our own individual lives. Every action reaction.
One Way Track Kid
Jason: Again I really love this song and I’ll say it again….may be another one of my favourites on the album. It’s a straight forward rock song with some great harmony choices. I had a great time working with Bill (Stevenson) on a lot of them. The idea behind it is pretty much being kicked down and talked down to by those that think they’re better than you, and using that as acceptance and fuel to stay on course (or track if you will) of following your dreams and accepting yourself for yourself. Not what others think you should be or do. Always be true to yourself and stay the course if you believe it. You can’t go wrong.
No Guts No Glory
Jason: This is the closing track, and a powerful one I feel at that. Its all in the title. It’s about going through a lot of shit; changes, friendships and hardships that you never expect in life and coming out somehow feeling proud in the end. It’s realising all these things you encounter happen for a purpose. Whether you like it or not, again accepting these things rather that beating yourself up over them your whole life. It will all work out, just may not seem like it at the time. Take the punches and enjoy the journey.
‘Broadcasting to the Nations’ by Authority Zero is out now on Bird Attack Records.