[usr 9.0 text=true]
REVIEW – In 1998, I was working at an indie record store and discovered this band by an in-store promo we had. This band should have been a huge deal; I mean Waste of Mind and Playmate of the Year had airplay success written all over them. In 2003, ZEBRAHEAD released their classic MFZB(geez this cd is 12 years old, my god where did the time go) and that was their masterpiece. For some unknown reason this record, did not really break the band out either. This is when I scratch my head and become irritated in what this industry does push as talent and tosses aside as underground or indie. I felt every record since MFZB has been lacking something, I am not sure if that was created by the hole Justin Mauriello created when he left the band or that the band was just frustrated by not breaking out. In 2013, Call Your Friends seemed to resurrect the passion that they lost on the 4 previous records. 2 years later and we have Walk the Plank and it feels that the band’s passion and energy has carried on. ZEBRAHEAD has always been a band that has thrown so many different influences into their music, this time it seems they are trying to show people that they still can deliver. Save your Breath, Wasted Generation and Kings of the Here and Now are going to excite the fan-base and live crowds. Walk the Plank while those songs see the band playing to its strengths, this record is actually a bit of a departure on some other tracks.
Under The Deep Blue Sea is an instrumental of sorts that comes across as new wave 80’s with a metal influence thrown in. I love the simplicity of this song and it threw me off guard. We could call this the Space Age Love Song of 2015 of sorts. I was not expecting them to ever think of pulling this out of their creative stew. This band also dives head first into ska, the ska element also caught me by surprise. Walk the Plank seems to be the band still putting out great music and wanting to re-invent certain aspects of the sound while still being faithful to its past and fans. While most people feel that Matty Lewis has yet to fully break out of Justin’s shadow, I feel this CD he establishes himself as a valuable member of the band. When it comes to this band, I am still a fan and even when the music was not the best, I tried not to give up on them. Walk the Plank is the band doing what they do best, having fun and being passionate. If you never heard of this band, I would say this record and MFZB would be two great places to start. This is the case of the rare band who never sold out, who always stuck to their guns to put out their music and do their thing. From first song to last, this record is full of upbeat fun pop punk with ska and metal influences all over it. Save Your Breath is such a perfect anthem for modern radio to pick up on. If the music scene was dying or dead like people love to bitch about, no one sent the memo to ZEBRAHEAD.