You may expect a band with the name Patriot Rebel to hail from one of the southern states of the USA and to have grown up on a steady diet of classic American rock and metal. And although they come from Nottingham rather than Nashville, they emphatically deliver a procession of hard swaggering riffs that often equals what comes from the more established bands on the other side of the Atlantic.
‘Cynics Playground’ follows on from their previous EP ‘Two Worlds’ and stylistically very little has changed. Paul Smith’s vocals are still delivered in a passionate hard rock howl and the riffs are as solid and indestructible as ever. ‘Digital Mannequin’ is a spectacular and explosive start, with the breakdown feeling particularly crushing. At five and a half minutes long it would have been easy for the song to outstay its welcome but the sprawling guitar solo and lightning quick drumming build a sense of momentum that flows straight into the powerful Iron Maiden-esque ‘Self Hate’.
Patriot Rebel have quickly demonstrated that they can fire out exciting anthemic metal as if they were born to do so, but on ‘Dying Breed’ they show that they are just as good when they turn their hand to more expansive and epic grungy rock ballads. Not only does it show another side to the band but it provides a breather before they charge at you with two more tracks, ‘All I Wanted’ and ‘Miss-guided’. Both songs again showcase Paul’s Smith’s faultless singing and although the two tracks closely follow the form of the rest of the EP, particularly with the reliance on guitar solos towards the end, they are both full of moments of individual brilliance.
Patriot Rebel has also released a short documentary about the making of ‘Cynics Playground’ and It’s well worth a watch as it gives a genuinely interesting insight into the creative process behind the songs. With a sound as closely tied to iconic acts like Guns N Roses as much as it is to current bands like Shinedown and Alter Bridge, there was a risk that Patriot Rebel could have found themselves overlooked in favour of the more obvious choices. There’s no doubt however that ‘Cynics Playground’ will help them step out from under the shadow of their influences and grow their own reputation further and further.
CHRIS HILSON