SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ZEBRA – ZEBRA V

ZEBRA
ZEBRA V
FLATIRON RECORDINGS

Like U2, Zebra has been a band, with the original members, for a very long time. Since 1975 to be exact. Unlike U2, it has been 23 years since Zebra released a studio album. Since 2003’s Zebra IV, the band has continued to tour and perform, but they did not record an entire album, until now. Zebra V is Zebra’s fifth studio album, and over the years they have not lost their edge. If anything, they have strengthened their sound and have strong confidence in their playing and presentation.

While Zebra was lumped in with the other ‘hair metal’ bands of the 1980s, there was always much more to the band. They never forgot their hard driving rock-blues roots from New Orleans nor were they ever afraid to write and record more gentle pop-rock music. V has all of that under one roof. And, although it has been a very long time coming, it is an album that shows this band can pick up where they left off.

The band consists of Randy Jackson (guitar, vocals), Felix Hanemann (bass, keyboards, vocals) and Guy Gelso (drums, vocals). The band could always go from genre to genre with ease. On this album, they go from bluesy rock with a touch of prog and country (“The Conqueror Worm”) to full on metal (“Dog Day Night”) to straight pop (“Eulalie”). And they do it all extremely well. The use of strings in “Eulalie” is absolutely perfect, while the drum solo introduction of “Direction” brings the song in perfectly. And “Walk With You” (co-written with Kiss’s Paul Stanley), they deliver hard rock.

Perhaps the highlight is the power ballad “I’ll Be There Beside You,” which does have a strong early 1980s flavour to it, but at the same time it seems to be a tribute to the past. It is also beautifully arranged and is potentially a future classic for the band. They have sequenced the album perfectly by placing this right in the middle. And, again lyrically, it has a wonderful sentiment. This is really Zebra at the top of their game.

Zebra has produced a very tight and exciting album. The solos, strong rhythm, and power vocals all come into play throughout Zebra V and as such this is the album one would expect from Zebra. However, although they do the expected, it is done brilliantly. This is a band that knows their strengths and have put together a strong album. Welcome back Zebra, you have been missed.

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