Review: Zig Zags ‘Strange Masters’
Despite being intimately familiar with RidingEasy Records catalog, not only through reviewing a few of their releases, along with multiple Brown Acid Trip compilations, I’ve been a fan of the label for even longer. Despite all this, I never really checked out Los Angeles’s Zig Zags, despite hearing good things about them.
At some point a month or so ago, on a Bandcamp Friday no less, I was trolling the term ‘thrash & roll’ and Zig Zags popped into my algorithm. Taking this as a sign, I said ‘fuck it, let’s finally check this band out’ and bought their 2019 release They’ll Never Take Us Alive, their first for RidingEasy Records, and as an older dude who was there as thrash and later crossover came into the underground consciousness, I was instantly hooked on the bands infectious riffing, wicked delivery, and SoCal skate/punk energy that courses through their sound.
Upon seeing, a bit late if I’m honest, their latest Strange Masters in The Sleeping Shaman’s promo cauldron, I instantly jumped on it. Evidently, it’s also not a ‘new album’ as such, but re-recordings of older songs throughout the band’s slightly scatter-shot discography. Apparently, upon losing their longtime drummer Bobby Martin, they enlisted Jeff Murray from fellow Angeleno’s The Shrine (who also completely shred), and set upon demoing new songs at Osees mastermind John Dwyer’s new studio Discount Mirrors. Whilst there, the band decided to tear through old classics, as a ‘fake live record’.
Well, as someone just getting into these guys, I can say that Strange Masters plays like a new release to me and is an absolute burner from the second one hits ‘play’ as the utterly crunchy-ass riff of Scavenger explodes into awareness. From the jump, the track is an instant banger; heavy and catchy with a thrusting chug and a wicked breakdown that had me instantly head banging.
However, we’re just getting started as the absolutely crushing, chugging, badassery of Fallout is next and proffers as nasty of a riff as I’ve heard in a long time. As well, this is about as close to Kill ‘Em All era Metallica feel and tone as one can get, and the fact the track is drenched in Motörhead-style rock and roll grime makes it all the more awesome. Singer/guitarist Jed Maheu not only utterly rips on his riffing, his vocal delivery and cadence are both tasteful and with purpose in the context of the music.
Maheu’s riffing is crunchy and addictive, his tone is next level, as are his vocals, to say nothing of Murray and bassist Sean Hoffman’s walloping low-end…
Speaking of Kill ‘Em All, or perhaps more accurately, the energy of Metallica’s legendary demo No Life ‘Til Leather, Maheu channels his inner Dave Mustaine and unleashes a barrage of addictive riffage, on the crushing Brainded Warrior as well as some killer, melodic shred over the top. Magic features some more utterly unstoppable riffing, and rhythmic pummel, but the next track Voices Of The Paranoid, is a clinic in spaced-out, psychedelic thrash-tinged riffing. It’s sequenced perfectly and is as good of a track as I’ve heard all year. Once again, Maheu’s riffing is crunchy and addictive, his tone is next level, as are his vocals, to say nothing of Murray and bassist Sean Hoffman’s walloping low-end.
Up next is the awesomely titled Punk Fucking Metal, which I knew from They’ll Never Take Us Alive, which serves as both a charging NWOBHM-style ripper and a self-describing mission statement. My Lighter is a perfect description of ‘thrash and roll’ both in its aural assault, and its hilarious, tongue-in-cheek lyrics. No Blade Of Grass is a melodic, thrash and roll blast, but the penultimate They Came For Us is another personal favorite as Zig Zags again drop into a wicked, psychedelic thrash space-out. The album reaches its conclusion with an awesome, thrashed-out cover of ‘80s SoCal hardcore legends Agent Orange’s Bloodstains. Instant points in my book for not only covering this but for doing such a great job.
What can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed Strange Masters from start to finish as I feel like I’m just getting on Zig Zag’s roller-coaster. A lot of bands have engaged in a thrash revival since the early ‘10s. some I love (Power Trip, Toxic Holocaust, Midnight) some not as much (Municipal Waste) but few have captured that early Metallica crunch as deftly as Zig Zags.
Initially, they reminded me of New York’s Early Man, but the more familiar I became with Maheu’s guitar tone and riffing, as well as his vocals and lyrics, the more I realized that comparison is invalid. Zig Zags, to my jaded ears, have completely captured the lightning in the bottle that is the vibe, tone and sonics of Mustaine/Kill ‘Em All era Metallica, but with an utterly infectious SoCal skate/punk energy enveloping their attack.
I’m not going to go so as far as to declare them my new favorite band, but I have become completely addicted to their sound, and while this is an album of re-recordings, I’m pretty confident it will wind up on my year end list. I’ve slept on these guys long enough, but better late than never. Enthusiastically recommended.
Label: RidingEasy Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Martin Williams
