ZON – Back Down To Earth [Sony Music Entertainment Canada remastered reissue] (2026) HQ *Exclusive*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

Sony Music Entertainment Canada has just released a remastered version of Pomp masters ZON second album 1979’s “Back Down To Earth“.
ZON arrived on to the scene with a sensational debut album, ‘Astral Projector’, a record bursting with the finest combination of Pomp rock and progressive AOR. For many it was a high point of the genre so it’s 1979 follow up, ”Back Down To Earth”, was highly anticipated with most fans of the band expecting great things… and they weren’t disappointed.
ZON’s carefully executed balance of pomp and prog ushered in yet another full throttle blast of melodic rock with sophisticated vocal harmonies and striking arrangements, especially in the keyboard department. Their deft blend of soothing hard rock and memorable melodies were immediately compared to Styx, Aviary and Trillion.

Produced by Don Lorusso (who masterminded the previous album) – ably assisted by co-producer Vancouver keyboardist Dale Jacobs – the album struck a chord with their fan base who warmed to the surging pomp-tastic arrangements, solid songwriting and no stone unturned quest for perfection.
Whilst the rewards weren’t commercially spectacular, the band’s intentions were made crystal clear, elevating the record and the group to a new level of accomplishment.
Issued on Epic Records, the cultured five piece received an enthusiastic push for the album that delivered on several counts; blockbusting heavy rock in ‘Circus’, killer progressive pomp in ‘As Seasons Change’, and ‘Gods And Kings’ – another complex masterpiece.

ZON headlined a triumphant show at Maple Leaf Gardens before a crowd of nearly 18,000, but their momentum faltered after a Globe & Mail critic—who mistakenly reviewed the opening act instead of Zon—published a scathing national review. Despite CBS / Epic demanding compensation, the damage to the band’s reputation was lasting.
By 1980, corporate restructuring at CBS ended the group’s contract even after a third album had been greenlit. Undeterred, Zon regrouped under Falcon Records releasing I’m Worried About the Boys! (1980). The record included a spirited cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane” and the single “For You,” which climbed to No. 2 on Hamilton’s CKOC—ironically charting higher than any of their CBS releases.

But misfortune struck again during their 1980 tour when Zon opened for Alice Cooper at CNE Stadium. Minutes before showtime, Cooper canceled due to illness, and singer Denton Young was forced to deliver the bad news to a furious audience. The crowd erupted, hurling chairs and debris in a near-riot, and the band barely escaped unharmed. The ordeal, combined with years of label battles, sapped their energy.
By 1981, Zon had quietly disbanded.

After the breakup, the members pursued new paths in Canadian rock. Denton Young resurfaced on Rik Emmett’s solo projects. Drummer Kim Hunt went on to play with Hanover, Urgent, and later Moxy. Bass player Jim Samson also found a long-term home in Moxy.
Keyboardist Howard Helm joined Michael Fury (later Refugee) before spending four years touring worldwide with Mick Ronson and Ian Hunter, later establishing a production career in Tampa, Florida, writing and recording music for television, film, and artists such as Seven Mary Three.

Though their career was brief, ZON left a vivid mark on Canadian rock. Their albums captured the ambition and drama of late-’70s prog, while their live shows proved they could hold their own on stadium stages.
Remembered for their flashes of brilliance and bad luck in equal measure, Zon remains a cult name in Canadian prog history—an ambitious band that deserved more than fate allowed.
Highly Recommended

01 – Circus
02 – Please Stay
03 – Lifeline
04 – As Seasons Change
05 – Suicide
06 – Back Down to Earth
07 – Cheater
08 – Take It from Me
09 – When He’s Old
10 – Gods and Kings

Denton Young: lead vocals, percussion
Howard Helm: keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Brian Miller: all guitars, vocals
Kim Hunt: drums, percussion
Jim Samson: bass

BUY
www.amazon.ca/dp/B0GRX1F7PD
www.amazon.ca/Back-Down-Earth-Zon/dp/B00O990D1O