Papa Roach have never been ones to tiptoe around a message — and on their blistering new single “Braindead,” they’re not just raising the volume; they’re sounding the alarm.
Out now, the track is a fast-and-furious shot of adrenaline, featuring none other than H2O’s Toby Morse — the hardcore legend whose vocal grit fits so seamlessly alongside Jacoby Shaddix’s venomous urgency, you’d think they’d been tearing up stages together for decades. Over a tidal wave of riffs and relentless drums, “Braindead” is a full-throttle manifesto against apathy. “One life, I got one chance. Got one shot, won’t get it again. I don’t wanna waste it, wake up fuckin’ braindead,” Shaddix screams, like a man clawing his way out of the static.
“We wanted to create something that felt urgent, honest, and in your face — and bringing Toby in took it to the next level,” Shaddix explained. “This song is a call to wake up before it’s too late.”
“I’ve known Jacoby for over 20 years,” added Morse. “Very proud of him with his sobriety. Their passion and hard work is why they are still here and relevant today. They also live by the ‘one life, one chance’ motto. So it’s a true honor to be on ‘Braindead’ sharing these words that we all live by.”
That sense of urgency isn’t accidental. It’s the sound of two survivors of their scenes — Papa Roach coming out of the post-nu metal trenches with their fists still up, H2O carrying the torch of East Coast hardcore — refusing to slow down or shut up. The track clocks in like a wrecking ball: lean, mean, and unrelentingly direct. There’s no fluff here — just war cries and power chords.
