[Review] UNDEAD – SUNG HANBIN (ZEROBASEONE)

SUNG HANBIN was one of the members to stay on as part of ZEROBASEONE following the conclusion of the initial 3-year period after the survival show, BOYS PLANET. We saw him earlier this year promoting as part of the reformed 5-member lineup with the release of TOP 5. For his solo work, SUNG HANBIN returned to one of his original companies, THE L1VE. Today, he officially debuted as a solo artist with the single UNDEAD and the mini-album DEAD:ALIVE. Both SUNG HANBIN and UNDEAD don’t hold back, making a strong impression from the get-go. The instrumental is powerful alternative pop-rock that definitely gets the adrenaline pumping. From the guitar riffs to the dramatic drumming to the calculated pauses, the backing was intense and robust throughout UNDEAD. SUNG HANBIN’s vocals were on par with the instrumental, powerful enough to cut through the backing. This kept his delivery clear and not drowned out, unlike some songs where the balance between the powerful instrumentation and vocals wasn’t right. I also liked the clever use of the choral backing to amplify the song’s most intense moments. This only added to the dramatic, powerful flair SUNG HANBIN was already bringing to UNDEAD and c...