NEW SHOWS ANNOUNCED IN JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, GERMANY AND USA! Check the tour dates page for details and see the flyers below!!! Hells Yeah!
CALL YOUR FRIENDS IS OUT EVERYWHERE….Folow the link above for a hard copy or buy on ITUNES NOW! Thanks!!!
MFZB
ROCK TRANSMISSION REVIEW OF ALBUM!
http://rocktransmission.com/2013/07/31/album-review-zebrahead-call-your-friends/
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Album: Call Your Friends
Genre: Pop Punk, Punk Rock
Release Date: 12 August 2013
2013 has been a big year for band milestones, and it’s no different for Californian rap-pop-punk heroes Zebrahead. Fifteen years into their career, the band are here with their tenth studio album, Call Your Friends.
Despite welcoming a new guitarist, ex-Death By Stereo axeman Dan Palmer, the band prove that old habits die hard with their follow up to 2011′s Get Nice. Fourteen tracks of pure mother-fucking Zebrahead bitch – songs that emphasise the bands unique sound, and show that if it ain’t broke, there’s no need to fix it.
The band have high hopes for the album, with bassist Ben Osmundson saying it will “without a doubt be our fans’ favourite album since MFZB“ (an album that will be hitting its tenth anniversary this year). Once you hear it, you’ll understand why they have such epic expectations.
The thing that’s always made Zebrahead stand out is their talent for genre mash-ups, with each member bringing a different influence to the table. These influences really stand out on Call Your Friends, from the typical pop-punk, to the heavy, metal infused tracks and the odd unusual songs that whilst sounding like nothing you’ve heard before, is still every bit Zebrahead.
Opening track Sirens is a trademark ZH tune, with vocalist/guitarist Matty Lewis starting off the first verse with a cheer-leader style spelling out of ‘fuck you’, and Ali Tabatabaee adding a ‘fuck off and die’. There’s chanty hey-heys, and an insanely catchy and infectious chorus to boot to. Palmer also brings a new level of 6 string intricacy to the band, with his screachy, complicated riff as a way of introducing himself to the fans.
With track titles like I’m Just Here For the Free Beer and With Friends Like These, These Who Needs Herpes, it’s clear the band, thankfully, haven’t matured a whole lot. The former’s “I don’t give a fuck…” lyrics giving the impression the song was written for playing live – the band feeding off a crowds energy like Freddy Krueger feeds off souls. The latter however, has an epic, metal streak, re-introducing the listener the darker, heavier side of Zebrahead. Tabatabaee‘s shouty vocals are made to sound angrier with the thumping drums and the again intricate guitar parts.
The album’s title track, and the first single to be released from it, is a perfect example of the high caliber pop-punk the band is capable of. It’s a song about booze, partying – generally having fun the ZH way – and the sound itself oozes that fun loving atmosphere.
A few of the songs wouldn’t sound out of place on Broadcast To The World, with their heavier sound – showing the bands’ metal influences. Born To Lose is a punky, anthemic one; whilst Automatic has a more serious feel – still pop-punk, but not as fast or heavy, and with more emotion.
Now for the unusual sounding one – Nerd Armor is the most unique track on the record, it’s still undoubtedly Zebrahead, but there’s a sleazy, almost arrogant guitar riff that adds an all new level of complexity. Don’t Believe The Hype is another good example of the bands’ talents for mashing up a multitude of genres to create their own unique sound and the closing tracks round up the album well, with the trademark sound you expect from the band – the final song, Last Call, subliminally making you want to listen to Get Nice (and the rest of the ZH back catalogue for that matter!).
4.5/5 – If Zebrahead have shown the world anything in the past 15 years, it’s that they ain’t no one trick ponies, and Call Your Friends proves that unanimously in one neat little 14-track package.
