Zonezero Turn R.E.M.'s 'Losing My Religion' into a Modern Rocker

Ohio nu-metal act Zonezero are taking a page from alternative rock's past and making it a fresh and moving statement for today. Plus, the band's new cover of R.E.M.'s classic "Losing My Religion" totally rocks.

It's also a bit of a dichotomy — the track takes the subtle strains of the mandolin-laced 1991 hit and cranks them to 11 with crunchy guitars and booming drums. Yet, simply owing to the source material, it's not quite as aggressive as Zonezero's original work, such as the pummeling "Grey" or the catchy "In My Veins."

Nonetheless, the rendition sounds quite like something one might hear on modern rock playlists alongside Chevelle and Seether. And didn't Disturbed make a big splash with a cover of a folky acoustic song?

But performing "Losing My Religion" holds more importance for Zonezero than just being a clever idea for a cover song. For lead vocalist Jordan Sloan, it's a tribute to a formative piece of his past.

The musician says that he first gravitated toward the song "for a multitude of reasons. R.E.M. is probably my favorite band of all time, it's been 30 years since this song came out, and like [R.E.M. lead singer] Michael Stipe, I am openly a queer person and his music and words have gotten me through some really rough times when it came to that subject, especially trying to overcome internal conflict about my bisexuality."

Sloan adds that the band also chose "Losing My Religion" "because not only is it an incredible song by an amazing band, but I felt like it was a tune that always had some sort of somber undertone to it, even though it's this very upbeat song."

Listen to the cover version below, and hear the rest of the band's stuff at zonezero.bandcamp.com.