When it comes to punk rock bands, you don’t come across many that have both the versatility and the staying power of zebrahead. Having shaken the skulls of all those who indulge in their records and brave the mosh pits of their live shows for over 25 years, and following the amicable departure of their singer and guitarist Matty Lewis earlier this year, you could be somewhat forgiven for thinking that the band were preparing for their last hurrah. But anyone who contemplated that notion clearly doesn’t know the lads in zebrahead all that well! Their genre-blending approach to punk – which infuses elements of rap, metal, and hardcore in amongst their catchy riffs – still more than holds its place in amongst the new waves of bands emerging into the genre, and they were determined to prove it on their long-awaited new EP, ‘///’.
Firmly planting a yardstick at the beginning of zebrahead’s third phase (hence, the EP’s title), is the record’s lead single, and the band’s first with new singer Adrian Estrella, ‘Lay Me to Rest’. Estrella comes to the band with a fine punk rock pedigree of his own, having toured with the likes of Mest and Assuming We Survive, and that tongue-in-cheek demeanour translates here beautifully. For one horrible moment, as the haunting opening piano notes ring out, it seems as though zebrahead really have donned their carpet slippers and decided they quite fancy some daytime television.
Barely a second later, however, and the ruse is up, as all the same rip-roaring, frenetic energy that we know and love from this band comes crashing down around your ears, each lyric spat with a fierce venom. When the melee then fades away again, it does so with a sense of irony – while this is a zebrahead who aren’t afraid to explore their musical journey in their lyrics, when it comes to their melodies, there is no holding back, and the hugely impressive dynamic changes make each swoop into the chorus that much more sucker-punching.
Though it is perhaps an inappropriate season for one right now, at least in the northern hemisphere, if you’re in the mood for a track with a bright, danceable groove, then look no further than ‘A Long Way Down’. Despite the melancholy tone of the lyrics, which speak of the downfall that many had predicted for the band after the heady heights of their early 2000s peak, there is a sense of euphoria here that means the bleakness never lasts for long. Through the blur of the rattling tom and the danceable groove, one line punches its way to the surface: ‘If you can’t forgive yourself then it’s already too late’, which perfectly captures the self-belief and tenacity that has kept this band striving forwards for over two decades.
Versatility has been one of zebrahead’s calling cards across their career, flirting with genre boundaries and infusing a host of influences into their tracks. Nowhere is this more evident on this EP that with ‘Homesick for Hope’, which at all times feels as though it is mere seconds away from spinning out of control. With guitar tones that would be just as at home on an Avenged Sevenfold record, it is already abundantly clear that this song is built for whipping up spiralling mosh pits, the only time is even comes close to pausing for breath being during the low, bruising bridge full of guttural energy. At the other end of the spectrum is ‘Out of Time’. This song comes blooming into life, building only to a mid-tempo stomp, which highlights just how powerfully the bleakness of the lyrics comes to prominence when the clattering melodies are stripped away.
Never ones to leave us on a downstroke, however, zebrahead kick things back into full throttle on closer ‘Russian Roulette is for Lovers’. Boasting vocals that come rippling out through layers of stereo effect, furious ripping guitar lines, and idiosyncratic bouncing basslines that infuse every line with an infectious energy, this one is guaranteed to leave you out of breath by the time the final notes ring out! Metalcore-esque screams speckle the springing melody, as the whole thing picks up in pace, guitar lines pitching and falling with an impressive speed. Again there are dynamic changes galore here, as the track speeds from whispers to full throttle screams in a single, whiplash-inducing second. Live, this track is sure to be absolutely monumental, and proves beyond doubt that zebrahead are a band who are back with a vengeance and have no plans of slowing things down any time soon.
One thing is for sure – if you thought this record was going to be just a legacy band’s swansong, think again!
‘///’ is out on the 26th of November via MFZB Records / Avex Group (Japan).
