The Riot Before – Rebellion

If you’ve been looking for something with the attitude of mid 90’s punk rock that brutally flirts with the sound of pop punk in 2010 (minus the gimmicks and over-produced style), you might just find it in The Riot Before‘s blistering new album ‘Rebellion’. From Richmond, Virginia this four piece are bringing an edge to an ever-changing scene that’s recently been shying away from its roots; they’re picking up the slack and redefining expectations.

Every one of these ten tracks sound personal, authentic and completely unapologetic, and together they pack a damn strong punch. No two songs sound the same but they all possess the raw and energetic quality we came to identify as belonging to The Riot Before with their 2008 release ‘Fist’s Buried In Pockets’.

This album sounds like it’s harbouring some kind of sneaky intelligence that’s born from the gutsy aggressive voice of Brett Adams and the quirky arrangements that catch you off guard with their progressive build-ups (the first minute and three seconds of “To Live How We Believe”, wow), gang vocal additions (“The Oregon Trail”) and the unexpected switching between their impassioned, gritty verses (“Backstage Rooms”) and the deliciously melodic break-downs (“A Good Sense Of Style). It’s tough to pull out highlights from an album as solid as this, but “The Middle Distance” and “The Oregon Trail” are particularly tight with their anthemic appeal, powerful lyrics and how they seamlessly stretch over several genres without losing any quality.

The Riot Before doesn’t sound like any one band in particular. Sure, they have a style that’s sometimes reminiscent of Hot Water Music and a vocalist that exudes the same kind of intense spirit we hear in the voice of Tim McIlrath from Rise Against, but they are firmly holding their own with a unique fusion of typical punk rock that’s fragmented by their subtle folk influences, which we were introduced to in older songs such as “Words Written Over Coffee”. This new album, however, is a relentless collection of some of the most honest music to come out of 2010 so far. It’s an anthem for the new angst-generation: ballsy, unashamed and incredibly engaging.

Martha Whatley