Zebrahead – I (E.P Review)

The ferocious new E.P from Orange County punk-rockers Zebrahead gifts listeners with some epic highs within their loud, adrenaline-fuelled sound.

Zebrahead, an American punk-rock band formed in La Habra, California in 1996, have racked up a sizeable international following throughout their almost 30 year career, while accumulating a beloved and high-spirited discography. Having most notably highlighted their duelling singer/rapper dynamic since their inception (currently with Adrian Estrella and original member Ali Tabatabaee), the band’s sound has become famed for its hard-hitting nu-metalesque style littered with influences from pop-punk and hip-hop. While the band’s line-up has changed over the years, with Estrella becoming the group’s third main vocalist in 2021 after the departure of singer Matty Lewis in the same year. ‘I’ is the third E.P since Estrella’s addition to Zebrahead, which contains five high-energy punk-rock jams full of attitude and rebellious vitality.

The first of the tracks is the boisterous ‘I have Mixed Drinks About Feelings’, which is kicked off by a frantic guitar intro and a breakneck tempo. With its tongue-in-cheek title, a familiar sight within their eccentric discography, and energetic sound the song is a fond ode to friendship and community, and the people who are there to party with you in the high times and comfort you during the low. Rapper Ali Tabatabaee’s fierce vocals open the first verse as he feverishly spits “Red hot, are ya ready or not?”; hyping up their listeners as they dive into the band’s addictive mesh of punk-rock and hip-hop. Singer Adrian Estrella shakes up the fiery track with a textbook Zebrahead melodic and anthemic chorus as his gravelly tone provides the perfect foil to Tabatabaee; their unique singer/rapper dynamic providing a sense of nostalgia for long-time fans of the band.

Heavy, chugging riffs punctuate the opening beat to second track ‘Pulling Teeth’, which is the E.P’s loudest offering. While in 1996 the band embraced a more light-hearted pop-punk sound, later in their career Zebrahead experimented with a heavier sound inspired by nu-metal, and throughout the E.P, the band showcase their commitment to deliver this punchy brand of punk-rock to the masses. In this track, Estrella utilises an effortless combination of gritty vocals with strangled screams to target the concept of belonging and the price of conforming to a broken society (“There’s hell to pay for conformity, A wasted youth on you and me”). After hearing this track, any listeners still unsure about the singer’s recent inclusion into the group will surely be won over by this powerful display of vocal prowess.

‘Doomsday On The Radio’ storms into the audience’s ears with a catchy “na na na na” hook set to a bouncy beat and rapid tempo. Fans by now will be very familiar with Tabatabaee’s deeply rhythmical and attitude-filled verses, but the seasoned rapper still shines just as brightly as before as he smoothly chants the first verse to a glitchy guitar accompaniment (“Cuz we are the forgotten the broken the ones they threw away”), as he critiques the broken system that smothers the hopes of young people. Despite these often sombre themes scattered through their songs, the group do not shy away from boldly upbeat choruses that are the pinnacle of the band’s sound; ‘Doomsday On The Radio’s ear-worm chorus providing eager listeners with an easily hummable melody and surge of elation amongst the singer’s impassioned shouts.

For all their steely determination to expose the daily injustice and issues facing their audience worldwide, the band never fail to provide comfort and reassurance for anyone who may need to hear it. ‘Sink Like A Stone’, which focuses on the sense of failure and hopelessness that threatens to overcome someone, is an uplifting example of this. The exceedingly stimulating chorus accompanied by a driving guitar riff features Estrella’s deeply melodic vocals delivering a heartfelt declaration to fans to always be there in times of need (“We’ll be the ones to catch you when you fall”).

The final track ‘Puppet Stringers’ returns to a heavier sound driven by Tabatabaee’s aggressive verses, Estrella’s desperate screams and a biting commentary on their haters and those that dare try to bring them down. Estrella’s rasping vocals growl out a warning and condemnation in the song’s heated chorus (“We’re better off than letting you put, Put us through hell”); highlighting both the electric synergy between Tabatabaee and Estrella’s back and forth and the commanding aura that Zebrahead has carried through the years. This track is sure to leave listeners on a high and ready to challenge anything that stands in their way.

Score/Excellent: Zebrahead have been one of the most enduring punk-rock acts of modern times for a reason – their hard-hitting yet deliriously fun sound continues to resonate with listeners of all ages and from all backgrounds. Long may it continue.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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