We have had a bit of a ‘crush’ on UK rockers Patriot Rebel ever since the band submitted a couple of tracks for our Bone Orchard show at Audioburger.com, songs receiving a persistent airing which is as much down to the greed of the listeners as much of the hosts. This meant anticipation for their debut release, the Two Worlds EP, was high and forcibly rewarded by a heavyweight riff clad storm of passionate breath-taking rock ‘n’ roll. The six track riot is bruising rock at its very best, a direct and virulently contagious confrontation which hits the target dead centre with flaring nostrils, menacingly flexing muscles, and a melodically crafted adventure fuelled by adrenaline.
The Nottingham has been breathing from around 2007 but it was with the coming together of current line-up of vocalist Paul Smith, guitarists Danny Marsh and Dave Gadd, bassist Will Kirk, and drummer Aaron Grainger in 2011 that the band began finding a potency and presence which really began commanding attention. Their sound is a tempestuous mix of alternative rock, grunge, and unpolluted rock ‘n’ roll thrust through the ear with a mountainous energy, drawing references to bands such as Stone Temple Pilots, Alter Bridge, and Shinedown and even more predominantly Black Stone Cherry and Velvet Revolver. With the distinctive tones of Smith and an aggressive sound which is unfussy but concentrated in its craft and effect, their live performances are no strangers to acclaim with the band since forming giving the likes of Tesseract, Jettblack, Skarlett Riot, Cornerstone, Earthtone9, Spirytus, and Violet a tough act to share stages with whilst equally leaving festival crowds aware and eager for their presence. Recorded with producer Matt Elliss (Black Spiders, Terrorvision, Skarlett Riot), Two Worlds is the next Patriot Rebel strike on the country and one you can only see placing the band on the frontline of UK’ s rock scene.
The self-released EP opens up with the imposing Propaganda, sinew driven riffs and equally predatory rhythms consuming the 
ears with intimidation and intrigue as Smith offers the song’s croon. The bass of Kirk is especially rapacious in presence and voice within the encounter adding to the almost oppressive initial breath, an introduction which soon explodes into a fire of sonic infectiousness with the chorus. It is one of those moments where you ‘recognise’ the stranger, the song a previously unheard persuasion which hits like an old friend and enlists an instant companionship from your own voice and neck muscles. The track like the EP is not sculpting brand new adventures it is fair to say but as it firmly proves here it rewrites existing invention into something most bands would seduce your granny for. It is a potent powerful start immediately matched and exceeded as the release rampages.
What Goes Around makes a gentler entrance at first, certainly stripping less flesh from the senses anyway until it erupts into a brawl of hungry riffs and punchy rhythms ridden again by the magnetic vocals. Its rich bait takes little time in laying down its lures, the chorus like calls soon seducing the passions with another epidemic of rioting toxicity. Rippling with melodic persuasion which burns heatedly as the track intensely barracks the senses, the song is a ferocious charge of insatiable energy and skilled temptation designed to grip its recipients by the throat and launch them into a torrent of submissive participation, physically and emotionally.
The following Goodbye is an emotively lined slower track which seduces with an intense almost melancholic embrace, guitars weaving an imaginative and impacting web of enticement around the almost reserved delivery of Smith. The song instantly shows why the band has been spoken of in terms of the likes of Alter Bridge though as it burns brighter and increases its melodic flames and muscular presence, Patriot Rebel go somewhere which for our mind those bands have only flirted with. The song smoulders and sears the air the further into its compelling depths you go, bass and riffs a thick haunted wash of intensity alongside vocals drenched in emotional expression. It probably takes longer than others to make its full declaration but with focus emerges as one of the highlights of the release, amongst a few to be honest.
Both Come Of Age and Holding On are songs we know well from the show and each leaves the already raging appetite with another full meal to devour greedily. The first saws the ear’s cartilage from its first second, carnivorous riffs snarling whilst Smith draws a vocal breath and lets rip with a sonic wail to match the spirals of scorched design from the guitars. The track is a voracious torrent of energy and enterprise, a maze of ideas and enthralling invention veining its stormy mass of intensity and predation whilst again an irrepressible addictive enterprise casts its spell on the passions. There is a muggy air to the track but it only adds to its weight and intent leaving the listener gasping for air whilst waiting for its successor. The second of the two multiplies the weight and depredation of its predecessor before expanding it into a melody fuelled blaze of hard rock meets heavy metal passion. It is a glorious anthem of sound and intent which resourcefully ignites and enslaves the emotions into their fullest ardour, a track which dares you not to be calling out its finale in a mutual vocal union, a challenge you only will lose.
The release ends with The Storm, a track which in the wake of the previous onslaughts feels at first almost pale in comparison that is until it too corrupts the senses with a dramatic and perfectly sculpted furnace of sonic endeavour and vital melodic invention. It is an absorbing encounter to close off an outstanding release. It maybe their introduction to most but Patriot Rebel has immediately thrust themselves into a vibrant spotlight with Two Worlds, and they can only get better with is simply a mouthwatering proposition.
10/10
RingMaster 07/12/2013
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Listen to the best independent music and artists on The RingMaster Review Radio Show and The Bone Orchard from
The RingMaster Review 
Leave a Reply