One Day As A Lion EP : One Day As A Lion : Review : Rolling Stone

Everyone who bet that Axl Rose would finish Chinese Democracy before Zack de la Rocha released a solo album — pay up. This EP — a collaboration between de la Rocha and ex-Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore — will have to do for now. Along with the recent string of Rage-reunion gigs, this set shows the rapper-activist stepping back into the arena, and dude's on fire. One Day are an exercise in simplicity: Theodore's prog-rock pummeling is compressed into massive funk beats, while de la Rocha's keyboards conjure brute bass lines and heavy-metal guitar chords. De la Rocha's vocals sound both familiar and reimagined; his raps are more impressionistic than usual — check out the political firestorming on "Wild International." And his singing is a revelation, especially the feral, Perry Farrell-style howling on "Last Letter": "I'm Chicano soprano, high off my pitch ammo," he spits on the dancehall-flavored "If You Fear Dying." It's clearly the sound of a man who still lives to agitate over beats.

WILL HERMES

(Posted: Aug 21, 2008)

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Review 1 of 2

5of 5 Stars

I really like this little fivr song EP. Zack de la Rocha is on fire on this EP. Track after track he is wowing the listener. Wild International is great to hear from Zack whois manning the keyboards for this two man set. Zack has an angry fire in his belly and it is spewing out all over this album. One of the last lyrics of the album is one of my favorite lines and believe me there is dozens of de la Rocha bombs on this thing it goes "And when our cubs grow, We'll show you what war is good for" repeated several times with a dopeass beat in the background. Zack and ex Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore rip shit up on this

Sep 8, 2008 21:39:19

Review 2 of 2

4of 5 Stars

After listening to Miley Cyrus' and the Jonas Brothers new albums, this was a breath of fresh air and really DOES deserve four stars. The band may be no more, but the rage is still as powerful and sharp as ever. And the music is a fantastic backdrop for it.

Aug 14, 2008 10:02:08

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