Heaven Right Now The funk-infused hardcore punk band known as Rebelmatic sound as re-energized and purposeful as they’ve ever been on their latest record, Sting The Devil. This Creep Records release packs in so many different stylistic choices, tempos, and vocal cadences into the mix that is thematically about traditional punk rock ethos of rallying against the status quo. Over the course of these blistering ten songs, that clock in just under 28 minutes, Rebelmatic solidify their sound into one of the best hidden gems to come out of our scene this year.
”Burn The Boats” gets things kicked off after a spoken word intro/countdown, before some heavy metal stomp chords bleed away into a spiraling guitar riff that helps with setting the tone for the verses. In the chorus, Rebelmatic choose to go into a bit of a metal-tinged style that helps with setting up a nice contrast to the verse sections. “Heaven Right Now” rocks with a great purpose behind it, and it sounds like Bad Religion meets Bad Brains in a vibrant punk rock song. It’s one of my favorite songs on the LP, and as the track unfolds, Rebelmatic continue to blend genre lines with ease.
”Alive On Arrival” opens into a chaotic blend of drums, bass, and guitars before the vocals provide a call to arms. The lead vocalist shouts “A.O.A. / Alive on Arrival” on the chorus with his bandmates having his back with each shout of the gang vocals. “Pick It Up and Go” rocks like a Gorilla Biscuits song with a different type of vocal cadence in the verses than what was presented early on. It’s almost as if Morrissey was fronting the band for a moment, with the smooth vocal croon presented here. “Everythings A Mess” is a great encapsulation of the current situation going on in D.C., and the speedy punk rock track has some real grit to it.
”Not Today” features a great drumbeat and has a bit of a tribal feel to it with its Go-Go music-infused verses, while the chorus shouts, “You started all that shit / Not today, not today / You made all that mess / Not today, not today.” “I Rather” kicks off with a rolling drumbeat before lead vocalist, Siddiq Booker, presents a nice call-to-arms shouted approach to his vocal attack, while “Boundaries” shows off the impressive chops of the band’s rhythm section, with most of the glory going to the guitarist here. “Auction Block” is the longest track found on Sting The Devil, as it explores the world around them, pays homage to the past, while still having a true heading of where they want to go next.
The album closer of “Don’t Shoot” tackles police brutality and the abuse of power, and makes for a powerful closing statement by Rebelmatic on Sting The Devil. With so many different genres being blended here, if you don’t like one of the vibes being put out by Rebelmatic on one part of a song, you’ll likely enjoy the next one as they switch things up so effortlessly. Rebelmatic are coming for your attention, and it’s about damn time we give it to them.