Zack De La Rocha and Jon Theodore’s much anticipated collaboration on an EP for Anti Records.
Under the handle 'One Day As a Lion', Jon and Zack have recorded five tracks together and have described their first EP as a “recorded interaction” which reflects the “visceral tension between a picturesque fabricated cultural landscape, and the brutal socioeconomic realities it attempts to mask”.
The name, One Day As A Lion, is inspired from a famous snap taken by Chicano photographer George Rodriguez. The photo features a centre framed tag on a white wall which reads: “It’s better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb.”
And who says music doesn’t mean anything any more?
The EP opens with the blistering ‘Wild International’, sounding very much like an early RATM record. Zack’s frantic vocals mixed with some deep bass tones make for a politically charged opening record that really hits home. Referencing both the war in Iraq and the tension between Christianity and Islam, 'Wild International' sets up the anti-establishment tone for the rest of the album.
'Ocean View' takes us through a mixture of rap-rock and grim melody from Zack. 'Last Letter' is more hard hitting, it’s tasty actually and has some very refreshing musical backings from Jon Theodore.
In ‘If you fear dying’ Zack raps “if you fear dying then you’re already dead”, prompting people to act and get out of their current state of apathy. This contains some of his best lyrics to date. Rappers should take note here, this is hip hop flow and rhyme and its best.
I’m mentioning Zack a lot, I know, but it his vocals that make this EP what it is. Jon Theodore is at no fault here, nor is he overshadowed by the Rage frontman, he’s just playing drums to a brilliant lyricist/vocalist.
The title track, ‘One Day As a Lion’ is powerful and ferocious. It’s a Disney Land ride in a politicially incorrect world.
Rage fans should rejoice at this, as will newcomers to the genre, because this is no normal EP- it’s a five tracker fuelled with anger and hate against the ‘establishment’.
