Vendettas Unleash a Riff-Loaded Rampage with Who’s Who in the Zoo

Review By Halina Wegner

From the moment the needle drops on Who’s Who in the Zoo, The Vendettas make one thing crystal clear — they’re not here to play safe. This is the sound of a band that has lived, breathed, and bled rock ’n’ roll for over two decades, refining their craft in the sweat-soaked pubs of Melbourne and now channeling that raw energy into a record that hits like a hammer and hums like a live wire.

Opening track “Jealous and Evil” comes swaggering in with a gritty groove that’s part snarl, part statement of intent. It’s the kind of opener that demands volume — preferably at the point where the neighbours start texting. From there, “Head On Collision” floors the accelerator, its riffs twisting and burning rubber across the sonic highway. These songs don’t just start; they kick down the door.

“This Time Around” feels leaner but no less potent, brimming with urgency, while “Lovesick Man” stands tall as the album’s troublemaker-in-chief — a defiant blast of rebellious rock that practically begs for a crowd to shout the chorus back. It’s pure, unapologetic attitude, dripping with the DNA of AC/DC and Jet but stamped firmly with The Vendettas’ own grit.

Midway through, the tone shifts. “New Walk” lays down a looser, funk-tinged swagger, proving the band isn’t afraid to slip into a different groove. “Mildly Amusing” lives up to its name in irony alone — there’s nothing mild about its infectious hooks.

The album’s softer moments — “Fly on the Wall” and “Out in the Rain” — strip back the distortion to reveal the band’s storytelling chops. These ballads aren’t filler; they’re the pause in the storm, giving the record a dynamic depth that makes the heavy-hitters hit even harder. “Out in the Rain” in particular is soaked with atmosphere, carrying an aching weight that lingers long after it fades.

Of course, The Vendettas aren’t ones to leave you on a downbeat. “Settle Down” teases restraint before bursting wide open, while “Raise the Weary” closes the album in fist-pumping style — part rallying cry, part victory lap. It’s a finale that encapsulates exactly what this record is: loud, proud, and built for stages both sticky-floored and stadium-sized.

What makes Who’s Who in the Zoo so compelling is its balance. It’s a rock album that never feels one-note. The production — handled with precision but without sanding off the edges — captures the band in their truest form: that sweaty, shoulder-to-shoulder dive bar intensity, but with the clarity and weight of a big-stage performance. The guitars crunch and snarl without losing definition, the rhythm section drives like an engine on the redline, and the vocals cut through with a gritty honesty that feels lived-in rather than put on.

Lyrically, the album navigates the kind of territory The Vendettas know best — desire, defiance, heartbreak, and the occasional sly wink at the chaos of life. There’s no grand concept here, and that’s exactly the point. It’s the sound of a band refusing to overthink, instead pouring everything into making sure every track has a pulse, a hook, and a reason to hit “repeat.”

Having cut their teeth alongside the likes of Airbourne, Electric Mary, and Dallas Frasca, The Vendettas know their lane — and they floor it. But with Who’s Who in the Zoo, they also show they’re not afraid to take the odd detour, broadening their sonic palette without losing their trademark punch.

For long-time fans, this album is the natural evolution of a band that has been steadily tightening the screws, each release sharper and more confident than the last. For newcomers, it’s the perfect entry point: a rock ’n’ roll record that’s equal parts grit, groove, and guts.

In a time when so much modern rock feels over-processed or self-conscious, The Vendettas are proudly unpolished. They’re the sound of boots on a beer-sticky floor, of amps rattling against the walls, of sweat running down your back as you shout along to a chorus you only just learned. Who’s Who in the Zoo isn’t just an album — it’s an open invitation to the kind of rock show you’ll be talking about for weeks afterwards.

And if the title begs the question — well, by the end of the record, you’ll know exactly where The Vendettas stand in this particular zoo. Front and centre, teeth bared, and ready to raise hell.