Rebel Saints is a new two-piece Goth hard rock band from Houston Texas, made up of Randy “VI” on Vocals and Sid “Music” on Guitar. Their recently released EP is entitled “As The World Burns”. Inspired by bands like Ice Nine Kills, Rise Against, My Chemical Romance, Avenged Sevenfold, Black Veil Brides, and Motley Crue, where this EP shines the most is in its fundamentals, as Rebel Saints demonstrate their knowledge of how to craft arena-sized hard rock songs with ease. They’ve got a knack for riffs that can scrape the rafters of even the biggest venues. Randy VI has a gruff, throaty sneer, with an immediately identifiable and charismatic personality behind the microphone. While the ace in the hole is Sid Music’s lead guitar work, dishing out the flashy, flamboyant riffs, ripped directly from the core of the genre.
The first track, “Funeral In Flames” acts as a fitting opener, overflowing in percussion-driven gothic dread to accompany the slamming riffs. Thirty seconds in, and Rebel Saints rev the engine to start the mosh pit.
Within the three minute piece, the duo manage to check everything off the hardcore Goth trope list with ease, including unnerving bone-crushing grooves, high screams, low growls, and an eerie bridges to breakdown. This is one hell of a headbanger, and makes for an epic adrenaline rush.
“Fuck Me As The World Burns” wastes no time hammering your brains out of your ears with blast beats and breakneck aggression. Randy VI makes use of gutturals, distressed/melodic screaming, and clean low singing, you can definitely feel the weight of authenticity in his performance here.
This song is going to knock your fucking socks off. Throw all of your expectations for a newcomers release out of the proverbial window, because this is on a different level. The instrumental rides to a pulse-pounding groove; the drum and shift from calculated flows to sporadic flurries, with the guitars shooting off into red-hot bursts and menacing rhythms.
The music attacks from the first bar, and draws you in, commanding your attention with Rebel Saints’ performance and presence. It has oddly progressive and dramatic elements contained within, hitting with an onslaught of relentless aggression. For two guys, Rebel Saints have a lot of sound going on.
There is so much going on in these tracks from that you really have to listen carefully to absorb it all. Riffs on top of top of sensational riffs, wailing solo’s, chunky, frenzied rhythms. It’s very dark and straight in your face, but then nothing less would be expected of a band in this genre.
And I doubt Rebel Saints is going to let up with the guitar-driven brutality any time soon. “As The World Burns” is a damn good starting point for a couple of newcomers, there is no question about that.
Rebel Saints’ determination to create the art they want is noble, and in time we can only hope that the band continues to build upon this starting direction, and keep themselves on the right track to be a powerful, emotional, and individually unique voice in their genre. “As The World Burns” is an immensely enjoyable release that’s sure to create many a living room mosh pit this summer. Especially if we’re forced into lockdown!
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