In July 2013, user “SimplyStupid” asked a telling query of his fellow posters on MFZB Online Community, a forum dedicated to the group Zebrahead: “does ali rap, or does he just sing really angrily?” (sic)
“Ali” here refers to Ali Tabatabaee, one of Zebrahead’s two frontmen. Trading off time with Matty Lewis — the band’s singer/guitarist and more conventional Rock bandleader — Tabatabaee’s Hip Hop-influenced style concentrates on loop-the-loop flow, speed and aggression. The MFZB poll ended with 64.3 percent voting for singing over rapping, but the fact that SimplyStupid was able to ask this question says a lot about Zebrahead’s approach.
Born in the late 1990s and hitting its cultural peak in the early 2000s, the La Habra, Calif., outfit emerged when Rap Rock was the sound du jour. As such, Zebrahead generally sounds angsty, soft-hearted, hostile or goofy — like a far more malleable version of Linkin Park — and has a vibe that’s bound to remind those of us who came of age in that era of things like cargo shorts, street teams and Warped Tour.
Zebrahead still sonically sticks to its ‘90s/’00s guns, an idea that’s also evidenced by its recent selection of tour partners. The group recently went abroad with Ska Punk stalwarts Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish, while this current run teams Zebrahead with MxPx and Allister, two Pop Punk groups that reached their cultural heights over a decade ago.
Even if its sound is very much of one era, don’t discount Zebrahead. It has always been a talented, multi-skilled band, totally game for bouncing between AltRock, Rap Rock, Pop Punk and even Metal, and long capable of writing songs that don’t resemble one another. If you’re looking for a show where you can take it easy, enjoy a few fantastic hooks and maybe mosh for a couple of songs, this is the ticket.
ZEBRAHEAD plays at Southgate House Revival Thursday, Oct. 9. Find tickets/more info here .
