The original front duo of Shotgun Messiah are back together under the banner Zan/Cody, delivering a brand-new album in Beautiful ‘N Damned, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
Shotgun Messiah’s original singer Zinny Zan and guitarist Harry Cody have now issued three singles from the parent album under their Zan/Cody banner, the latest being ‘Ride Or Die’, arriving with an official video.
Zan described the new single by saying: “When a world full of lies, scars and broken promises bring you to your knees, I’ll be the one still standing by your side. Your sanctuary, your last true believer, your ride or die!”
“This is a relentless rock & roll anthem; a high octane, take-no-prisoners beat with feral guitar riffs, screaming vocals, and a manifesto,” added Cody. “When life sucker-punches you, and it feels like everybody let you down, there’s still someone you can count on. Someone who picks you up and stands with you. Someone who has your back, no matter what. A pledge that says, ‘Us against the world, ride or die.'”
Shotgun Messiah’s self-titled 1989 debut remains a cornerstone of glam and sleaze metal, a record that shaped a generation and secured the band’s status as one of the most influential cult acts in Scandinavian hard rock. Now, decades later, Zan and Cody rekindle that chemistry with a record that proudly revives the classic Shotgun Messiah sleaze vibe, while pushing it forward with renewed energy, attitude and modern punch.
Long regarded as one of the most respected guitarists to emerge from the Swedish scene, Cody delivers riffs and solos that are both streetwise and technically refined, perfectly complementing Zinny Zan’s raw, charismatic vocal delivery, steeped in attitude and rock ‘n’ roll swagger.
Mixed by Chris Laney (Pretty Maids, Crazy Lixx), the album captures classic sleaze authenticity and contemporary production power, the songs hitting hard while retaining their dirty, dangerous edge.
With an appearance at Sweden Rock Festival and the album now out, Zan/Cody are not here to rewrite the past, but to carry the Shotgun Messiah legacy into the future.
Beautiful ‘N Damned features the tracks ‘Sever’, ‘I Am The Shit’, ‘Ride Or Die’, ‘Suffer City’, ‘She Walks With Violence’, ‘Damn’, ‘Let’s Be Heroes’, ‘Beautiful ‘N Damned’, ‘Bad Bad Man’ and ‘Tear It All Down’.
Zan said of previous single ‘Sever’ that it is “a loud and clear anthem of defiance against the hidden forces that corrupt, consume, and demand surrender”. Cody added: “‘Sever’ is a battle cry from a man who, faced with a world he sees spinning out of control, succumbs to paranoia. Rather than idly standing by and surrendering, he will fight. He will identify the problem. Cut out the cancer. Amputate. Sever.”
First single ‘Damn’, released with an accompanying video, was meant to sum up what Zan/Cody is all about, according to Zan. “Harry and I feel this track captures the core of who we are as musicians: high-octane rock with attitude and a sharp edge,” he said. “Lyrically, it taps into the world we’re living in now: where the lines between truth and illusion keep getting blurred. What’s real? What’s fake? The message is simple: don’t take everything at face value. Think for yourself, question what you’re told, and draw your own conclusions. This is Zan/Cody!”
For more on Zan/Cody and Shotgun Messiah at RAMzine, head to RAMzine.
