Spin CycleArtist: Reverend Mothers

Album: Acolyte’s Revival – EP

Genre: Rock n’ Roll

For Fans of: Alice Cooper, The Cult, Iggy Pop/The Stooges, Queens of the Stone Age

Acolyte’s Revival, the debut EP from New Jersey-based Reverend Mothers, is an homage to the Greats, calling for the current generation to demand justice for Hall of Fame politics and Music Television’s outrageous abandonment of its founding principle. The band began as a collaboration between Liam Pesce (vocals) and Brian Sutherland (guitar) in 2010, evolving when John Carter (drums) joined them in 2012. In weekend snippets from October to December of that year, the three music majors recorded, mixed, and mastered everything in Carter’s basement. To hell with their textbooks dictating that a song is only complete when technically flawless – Acolyte’s Revival wasn’t finished until it felt right.

Like rock music? Check out Reverend And The Mothers.

Like rock music? Check out Reverend Mothers.

In trusting their own process, Reverend Mothers found themselves with a lyrically strong, dynamic rock EP that naturally came together as a cohesive whole, making them stand out from most emerging acts today. From mixing punk rock with drum rolls to create a surfer vibe in “Cemetery Mary,” to the chilling desperation of “Shadowman,” the band proves that there are some in the new wave of musicians who yell bullshit at the Top 40’s digital dependence for success. And while there’s no wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am moment yet, this six-track sampler is so capacious in its intensity that it’s just what this decaying era needs: an in-your-face rock n’ roll resurrection that’s haunting and raw and undeniably sexy.

“One for the Money” kicks off the EP with a guitar turned up almost as loudly as the drums; the lyrics barely audible until muffled shouts of “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” lead up to repeated self-affirmations of “I’m a whore! I’m a whore! I’m a whore! I’m a whore!” There is no candy-coating here.

Falsetto chases you in the chorus of “Cemetery Mary,” which is very Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” with its bass-accompanied high hat breakdowns that Josh Homme, in all of his manifestations, has yet to abandon. The riffs mimic running, adding to your panic, but the solo intent on cornering you in the end is too quiet despite its distortion – I want it to grab me before teasing me in the dark.

If “One for the Money” and “Cemetery Mary” are more punk in their roots, “All That I Want” and “Shadowman” are fuller tracks more fit for alternative radio play. But unlike the synthesizer-dependent hits dominating the charts, Acolyte’s is made complete through guitar tones alone with that record player static-esque, just plugged-in crackle.

“The Oldest Crow,” propelled by Pesce’s raspy allure and doused in truth, is the most seductive track on the EP. You can feel every. fucking. inhale. The final song, “Litany Against Fear,” epitomizes Alice Cooper’s confrontational perversion that terrifies listeners into facing themselves. His spoken tracks (like “Inmates”) carry over; but unlike the musicality that accompanies them, “Litany” is cut and dry and much heavier. Reverend Mothers end Acolyte’s Revival in total monotony.

Welcome to their nightmare, disciples. Find them on Facebook here.

Grade: A