Year of the Dragon aren’t here to play nice. Formed by former and founding Fishbone members Dirty Walt and Flying Jay Armant, the New Orleans-based crew have traded in ska’s bounce for a sharper, heavier punk-metal sound that cuts deep and grooves hard. Their debut EP Dragon Burn is out now on Manic Kat Records.

Rounding out the lineup are guitarist Marc Christopher Rey, bassist Al-Latif Van Lowe, and drummer Kerim Aaron Imes. Together, they slam out a mix of crushing riffs, tight rhythms, and funk undertones that nod to their roots without getting stuck in nostalgia.

For years, Year of the Dragon existed in the shadows while its members balanced other projects, but that’s over. “People kept asking when Year of the Dragon was gonna put out music or come to their city,” says Dirty Walt. “Now we’re all in - and we’re doing it our way.”

The EP’s lead single, “Lucifinger,” sets the tone: fuzzy guitars, muscular bass lines, and a rhythm section that swings as hard as it pummels. “We’ve been grinding on music and shows for a long time,” says Imes. “‘Lucifinger’ is just the first shot.”

Year of the Dragon’s members have been around the block, sharing stages with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bad Brains, Ziggy Marley, Dillinger Escape Plan, Hatebreed, Unwritten Law, the Adolescents, and Killswitch Engage. That live experience shows" Dragon Burn plays like it’s begging to be heard loud in a sweaty room, not just streamed in the background.

With Dragon Burn, Year of the Dragon aren’t chasing radio polish or label polish. They’re here to make something raw, loud, and theirs. The riffs bite, the grooves snarl, and the whole thing feels like a statement: they’re not riding on past names, they’re building a new one.