REVEL 9 is a Hard Rock band out of Long Island, New York. The band consists of DJ Pearlman (vocals/guitar), George Kazamias (guitar), Nidal Mahmoud (drums) and Tony DiPaola (bass). Each member of this updated lineup has received many accolades both in and out of the band. These four musically talented men have come together to bring hard-hitting, face melting music and high energy shows that everyone will enjoy! With two killer albums under their belt: The Reality Crush (2015) and The Razorblade Diaries (2011), and another one the way, REVEL 9 is on the road to success!
Like with most reviews that I write, I first welcomed the opportunity to speak with the band. I can write about a band until my fingers bleed, but nothing is as good or as powerful as reading/hearing a band’s words. REVEL 9 was more than happy to share some information about the band’s history. Once they released their first album, the band quickly went to action and played local shows to promote the new material. The guy were met with immediate praise that motivated them to continue pushing their limits to see how far they could go. Since the release of their first album, REVEL 9 has not only played sold out shows across Long Island, but have hit the stage at major venues such as Mercury Lounge in NYC, The Legendary Dobbs in Philadelphia, and “record setting attendance shows at Six Flags Great Adventure during its famed ‘Fright Fest’ concert series”.
REVEL 9 worked with remixer/producer, Pull, on all of their albums, including the new one that is on the way. Pull is well known for having worked with the likes of “Rob Thomas and Mick Jagger to Skillet and Shinedown” to name a few. “A longtime friend, Pull liked some of Pearlman’s earlier material but always pushed the singer to dig deeper. Pearlman played some of the songs he had been working on that would eventually become the …Diaries, and through his guidance, helped fashion the sound of REVEL 9. The two hooked up again to craft what became The Reality Crush (October 2015). “Pull and I needed to develop the songwriting beyond that of the …Diaries;” says Pearlman, “there’s just no point in doing that record again. We pushed the songs on this new record as far as they could go, and it’s definitely what we needed it to be. There was a lot of anticipation for this record, and it did not disappoint.”
On REVEL 9’s 2011 release, The Razorblade Diaries, the album starts off with a bang with San Jose. The song immediately throws you into the Hard Rock style that the band represents. The hard hitting guitar chords and even tempo drumming will have fans moving along to the tune. Pearlman’s edgy, almost grungy vocals fit the instrumentals perfectly. “you’re only in it for the taste, a taste, you’d let it go to waste, to waste, only ever want it for a little fun. Bet you never thought this could be the one. And you give an inch when you’re in a pinch. Quit being such a little bitch.” In addition to the killer vocals, the face melting guitar chords that accompany them are amazing! Another song that I have to acknowledge on this album is All I’ve Become. The second I heard this song, I immediately thought of MTV’s Headbangers Ball (remember that show?!). This song would be a staple on the show as it fits the theme perfectly! All I’ve Become welcomes the harder, darker side of the band. It has more of a metal vibe with much faster instrumentals. This is a song that will open up the pits in the crowd and have everyone going wild! I’m not the only one that noticed, as the song was placed on Official Ballots for the Grammy Awards in Best Rock Performance as well as Best Rock Song!
REVEL 9 didn’t slow down after their first release, touring all over and recording their sophomore album, The Reality Crush. I love this album because you can hear the growth the band made between the two recordings. This album definitely encompasses the band’s Hard Rock/Metal genre that they categorize themselves as. It is difficult to maintain a fan base when you are representing multiple genres but REVEL 9 found the perfect way to bridge both genres together and gain a strong following. Two of my favorite songs on The Reality Crush are Quietmind and The Good Fight. I love that Quietmind goes directly into the vocals of DJ Pearlman. “Wide awake and still I wait here for a change, with every reason to pretend still so far away. And everything I lose, reminds me all that was before, is just a whisper now”. These vocals lead into one of the best bridges between a verse and chorus I’ve heard since starting this blog. It makes me want to start going nuts every time I hear it. This is the stuff crowds love! The Good Fight is another awesome song on this killer album. Along with the fact that the vocals and instrumentals are pristine on this track, I love the message behind it. Taken from the band’s website: “As we have done at countless live performances across the Northeast, we would like to dedicate this song to our service men and women overseas and their families still here at home that try and get through every day without them. It is through their sacrifices that the rest of us can enjoy our everyday lives. It is because of their sacrifices that we can do any of this at all. It is for their sacrifices that we wrote this song.” This is what I love to see; a band that knows where it comes from, recognizes it’s successes and knows exactly why they had the opportunity to begin with. This alone shows that they are down to earth, humble guys. It always sucks when a band’s ego gets in the way of their success; thankfully REVEL 9 won’t fall to this fate!
“REVEL 9 has entered into production on their long-awaited third record. Again working with award-winning producer, Pull, the band is poised to push the limits of the R9 sound and brand even further and into newer spaces. Expect the first single to drop towards the end of the Fall of 2018 and more regional and national touring to follow in the coming year.” With a new album on the way, I cannot wait to see what REVEL 9 has in store for us! Make sure you check out the band’s social media and listen to their music on the blog’s Spotify playlist: After Hours Review!
Upcoming REVEL 9 Show
Saturday August 11th @ 7:30 pm – NUTUYU 6 w/ Craving Strange, REVEL 9 and Pathmaker. Special guest performance from Tempest City, Pralaya, and Mike Wahmann