Diamond in the Rough 07.26.2009: Rev Theory

Posted by Leo Rivera on 07.26.2009

It's time to the petal to the metal because these rockers know how to get it done rocker style!

Part Motley Crue, part present day Papa Roach, Rev Theory is one hundred percent bad ass! The personification of no frills, balls to the wall Rock n' Roll, Rev Theory do it better than anybody, and they look killer doing it too! They add blue collar New York City work ethic and flavor to their music and presentation to emerge as one of the leaders in the movement to recapture Rock n' Roll's glory with a modern day twist. This week we take a look at the new school of adrenaline pumped ultra charged rock, this week we take a look at Rev Theory!



The origin of Rev Theory dates back to 1997 in North Andover, Massachusetts while the band members were attending Merrimack College. In 2001 after cutting their teeth and playing locally in Massachusetts, the band packed their bags and headed for the bright lights of New York City in hopes of getting noticed and eventually catching a break and inevitably a record deal.

Things started to come together for the band in 2002 when NYU student and bassist Matt Mcloskey was recruited to round out the lineup of Rich Luzzi on vocals, Rikki Lixx (cool rock name) on lead guitars, Julien Jorgensen on rhythm guitar and Dave Agoglia on drums. In late 2003 the band, then under the original name of Revelation Theory, recorded a demo EP and officially began touring. In 2005, they got offered a gig playing in the Girls Gone Wild Rocks America Tour. This unique tour got them noticed within the music industry as a hot new band on the rise and Revelation Theory was snatched up by EMI subsidiary Element Records, they then released their debut album titled Truth is Currency in late 2005.

The best way to describe Truth is Currency is melodic Nu-Metal, for lack of a better term, and while Revelation Theory may have technically arrived 3 years too late to the Nu-Metal party, the album was rock solid. Songs like "M367", the single "Slowburn" and "Leave it up to you" showcased Revelation Theory's penchant for driving melodies that you can't help but sing along too. Upon first listen to "Slowburn" you would think you where listening to a Sevendust song, as Rich Luzzi's vocals can sound strangely familiar to those of Lajon Witherspoon at times which is far from a bad thing! "Slowburn" hit # 27 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock charts.

Revelation Theory was starting to impress many and was invited in early 2006 to hit the road in support of Sevendust and Hinder. They fit the bill like a hand on a glove, as the opening act they were a perfect blend of Hinder's sex-driven rock n' roll and Sevendust's in your face hard rock. Following that tour they jumped on board with fellow rockers Saliva and then Evanescence (I know I know Amy Lee, run! Isn't she without a band now, ha ha). In 2007, they finished their Truth is Currency tour by sharing the stage with Hinder, Papa Roach, and Buck Cherry, a fitting end and a sign of things to come.



Upon heading back home after a long two year tour, that saw them play with some of modern rocks finest heavy hitters, Revelation Theory embarked on a metamorphosis. The first course of action was shortening their name to the more catchy and marketable Rev Theory, then in 2008 they entered the studio. With the rock n' roll vibe of their tour mates and more experienced rockers like Hinder, Papa Roach, Saliva and Buckcherry still freshly embedded in them, Rev. Theory proceeded to churn out Ballsy petal to the metal sex and Harley driven rock n' roll and shed their nu-metal roots. The end result of the new and improved Rev. Theory was Light it Up.



Released in 2008, Light it Up came busting out the gate with the song "Hell Yeah" which is as rock n' roll a song as you can get from the opening drum beat to the chorus "give me a hell, give me a yeah!" it screams of motorcycle music the perfect song to go past your speed limit. "Favorite Disease" keeps the flow going nicely, then it's the title track "Light it Up" which is a soundtrack for debauchery. The album slows down at the right time with the ballad "Broken Bones" (which is the bands current single), proving that Rev. Theory is more than just "cock rock." The fifth song "Kill the Headlights" is arguably the most melodic hard rocker that the band has ever written and also the most up tempo, making it catchy as hell. "Wanted Man" sounds like something off of Truth in Currency which is not a bad thing. The album slows down a bit with "Ten Years", "Falling Down", and "You're the One" but ends with a bang is the appropriately titled "Far From Over." Darker than most Rev. Theory songs "Far From Over" is a kickass hard rock song with a chorus that rocks to the core, and lets warns the rock world that Rev. Theory have only just begun!



The band gained a higher profile in 2008 by teaming up with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) who has been known to tap hard rock bands and use their songs as sound tracks to their Pay per View Events. The band scored a major coup by having their song "Light it Up" be featured as the soundtrack to Wrestle mania (24) the WWE's biggest event of the year with over 1 million people ordering it on PPV, that means that many people were exposed to Rev. Theory's music. Later in 2008 the WWE once again used Rev. Theory, this time using "Hell Yeah" as the soundtrack to the WWE"S One Night Stand PPV. The WWE must have been impressed because shortly thereafter because they were asked to write a WWE Champion Randy Orton's new theme song "Voices." Which in itself is a great rock tune and suites Randy's Psychotic character to a tee. So to say that Rev. Theory and the WWE have a good relationship would be an understatement!



Back on the tour front, with a higher profile came more profitable touring opportunity's, the first of which was the 2008 Jagermeister Music Tour Which was headlined by Hinder and also featured Trapt. And just recently just to prove how far Rev Theory has come, Motley Crues' Nikki Sixx personally invited the band to headlined Cruefests' first ever second Stage this Summer! To catch Rev. Theory in their element you know where to go and you too will know what I and so many others know, Rev Theory kicks ass!