From the moment “Jealousy” kicks in, it’s clear deathsleep have no intention of playing it safe. The Bend, Oregon band has long been known for pushing against the edges of heavy music, but their latest single, released on September 26, 2025, feels like a defining moment. With Zach Holmes—best known as “Zackass” from the Jackass films—stepping into the spotlight for his official music debut, the track fuses danger, humor, and sincerity in a way that feels as volatile as the emotion it’s named after. Produced with the help of Ben Rosett, Kevin J Dill, and Scott Baber at Somni Studios, “Jealousy” bridges genres and bridges entire worlds, pulling from hardcore, pop culture, and punk ethos to deliver something feral and unforgettable.
Lyrically, the song dives deep into the darker corners of envy—how it festers, distorts perception, and turns vulnerability into violence. Instead of treating jealousy like a private wound, deathsleep and Holmes drag it out into the open, letting it roar and seethe in the music. The vocals alternate between guttural aggression and raw confessions, embodying the volatility of a feeling that can flip from self-pity to rage in an instant. In the same way Iggy Pop once blurred the line between performance and emotional breakdown, Holmes and the band use their art to capture the dangerous electricity of losing yourself to toxic emotion. It’s messy, unpredictable, and utterly compelling.
The soundscape reflects that same instability. Rosett’s production ensures that the track has teeth, with jagged guitars tearing through walls of distortion and percussion that feels like it’s about to cave in on itself. The arrangements veer between controlled precision and chaotic bursts, mirroring the theme of jealousy itself: it starts small, almost subtle, then erupts into an uncontrollable storm. The interplay between musicians is striking—Holmes’ fearless vocal delivery feels like an unhinged performance piece, while Gareth Lastinger, Dill, and Rosett ground the track with layers of intensity that make sure the chaos always lands with impact. It’s post-hardcore at its most volatile, but elevated by a sense of theatrical unpredictability that keeps the listener on edge.
What makes “Jealousy” resonate beyond the heavy riffs and explosive breakdowns is its authenticity. This isn’t a gimmick or a stunt, despite Holmes’ background in physical comedy and daredevil antics. Instead, it feels like an honest translation of who he is—fearless, chaotic, and deeply human. By stepping into the music world, Holmes carries the same raw energy that made him an icon of reckless humor, but here it’s redirected into something darker and more reflective. Deathsleep channel that energy into their sound, creating a collaboration that feels like a meeting of kindred spirits—artists who thrive on risk, and aren’t afraid of looking messy if it means tapping into something real.
In the end, “Jealousy” is a statement. It proves that heavy music still has room for spectacle, for cross-pollination with pop culture, and for the kind of raw vulnerability that makes even its chaos feel relatable. Deathsleep have taken a universal human flaw and turned it into an anthem that is feral and strangely cathartic. With Holmes’ fearless debut and Rosett’s razor-sharp production, the band has delivered a track that pushes boundaries while staying grounded in emotional truth. For deathsleep, “Jealousy” ia about envy and the art of turning destructive feelings into something that can’t be ignored.
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