A versatile, melodic hard rock/metal act, Slavior\'s debut album features elements familiar to Zonder\'s progressive metal past, but also introduces a wide array influences including reggae, hip-hop, and modern rock.

Rounded out by Michael Schenker Group guitarist/keyboardist Wayne Findlay and ex-Tribe Of Gypsies singer Gregg Analla, Slavior is a band that has been a long time coming for Zonder. The acclaimed drummer states:

\"For a long, long time, I’ve always wanted to put something together that was based on the drum parts. It is very difficult to take a crazy drum idea and try to apply it to someone else\'s idea. Most of the time it turns into a mess. If you start with the drum part, and build from there, it seems to work out. With Slavior, the songs are so accessible and groove-oriented, after 15 seconds, anyone should be able to lock into it.\"

The band had originally inked a deal with Greece\'s Black Lotus Records, but financial turmoil eventually caused the label to fold, leaving Slavior to re-evaluate matters and come to their initial choice of labels, Inside Out Music. Explains Mark Zonder:

\"You hear the old saying, \'When one door closes, another opens,\' and I think that is the case here. Inside Out was always one of our first choices. I\'ve known Jim (Pitulski, Inside Out America President) for 20 years now and to come to his label is certainly something we’re excited about. Even after we inked our deal with Inside Out, we heard from other labels that we were in contact with that congratulated us and said that IO was a classy label. That\'s always a good thing to hear.\"

According to Jim Pitulski, he and the rest of the Inside Out team have long admired Zonder\'s incredible skill as a musician:

\"It is with great pleasure and pride that we now welcome Mark and Slavior to the Inside Out family. The release of \'Slavior\' represents a unique challenge for Inside Out in that its sound is not necessarily typical of what we\'ve come to be known for as a label. We\'re looking at this release as an opportunity to push our own boundaries just as Slavior themselves are pushing the boundaries of modern music.\"

Look for \"Slavior\" to hit stores in early 2007. You can listen to a preview at this location.