A staple of the annual Cornerstone Festivals, Zao is perhaps the first metalcore band with roots in the Christian music scene to enjoy a credible, respected position in the mainstream realms of hardcore and metal. Emerging in 1995 with All Else Failed, the band's tonsil-shredding vocals and lack of apprehension about straying from proven formulas, genre restrictions, and labels of any kind helped found them a global fan base. Despite enduring myriad lineup changes over the decades, Zao has remained prolific and enduring, releasing dozens of acclaimed efforts like Parade of Chaos (2002), Awake? (2009), and The Crimson Corridor (2021) that transcend both genres and ideologies.