Somewhere between the catchy melodies of pop and the aggression of metal can be found the realm of today’s hard rock. REVEL 9 takes great care to blend the best from those two fan-heavy genres, and with that care, the band continues to deliver the hard-hitting, insightful and intense music that has solidified them as a staple in the Northeastern Hard Rock scene. Fans of bands like Chevelle, Deftones, A Perfect Circle and Three Days Grace really have a lot to find in REVEL 9.
“The delivery on ‘The Razorblade Diaries’ is amazing. – Hip Rock Magazine
“The intensity of opener ‘San Jose’ is palpable and Pearlman impresses with his perfect rock vocal tone and blistering guitar licks.” – Now This ROCKS!
“They offer up a sound that is bound to catch on like crazy! – Neufutur Magazine
“This is the new now, the future, the way the music will be.” – NBTMusic
“Haven’t heard anything like this in a while, which reminds me that I should.” – Aiding & Abetting
The band consists of local scene personality DJ Pearlman (Gee Davey, Narcotic Gypsy, Raiana Paige) on vocals and guitar, award-winning guitarist George Kazamias (Imperious Rex, Music Magazine’s “Best New Talent”), drummer Nidal Mahmoud (Imperious Rex, Eternity Burning) and bassist Tony DiPaola. The updated lineup brings an energy to the project, both on and off stage that has really surged the band onward and upward in the run up to their upcoming release, The Reality Crush. The band is currently endorsed by: D’Addario Strings, Evans Drumheads, ProMark Drumsticks, Planet Waves, First Act and Imperial Cymbals.
Launching an immediate assault on the area scene, REVEL 9 has quickly become a band to watch. Rocking hard before audiences of hundreds and even thousands since their debut release of The Razorblade Diaries in July 2011, the band became a favorite among area clubs, promoters and fans who can’t resist being part of the dynamic journey. They’ve blown fans away across the region, from sold-out home shows on Long Island, to performances at major area venues like Mercury Lounge in NYC to The Legendary Dobbs in Philadelphia, to a record-setting attendance show at Six Flags Great Adventure during its famed “Fright Fest” concert series. The band can also be found at most of the area music conferences and festivals including the Liberty, Jersey Shore and Long Island Music Festivals as well as CMJ, Millennium Music Conference, MEANYFest and more.
Playing a huge role in the sonic evolution of REVEL 9 is remixer/producer “Pull”, who has worked on records by everyone from Rob Thomas and Mick Jagger to Skillet and Shinedown. 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 will be The Reality Crush (expected in 2014). “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 has been a lot of anticipation for this record, and it will not disappoint.”
That confidence is not without merit, as breakout songs like “All I’ve Become”, “Lay My Head” and “San Jose” have not only earned them much in downloads and royalties, but also some significant industry recognition in print and online spotlights and 3 placements on the Official Ballot for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in the following categories: Best Rock Performance: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become, Best Rock Performance: REVEL 9 – Lay My Head and Best Rock Song: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become.
About the upcoming release and the future of REVEL 9 Pearlman says “We are going for something very specific. We need to capture the intensity of the hard rock bands that we love, but still be able to get the songs across to the listener, and we’ve done that. The material is good, there is no denying that at this point. Now it’s only a matter of whether people like it or not, and we’re OK with that.” Adding, “It’s the most powerful and fulfilling album we could make and we know it. Soon everyone else will know it too.”