BLACK ROSE REBELLION
"Hail the Rebel Queen" (Pavement; 2026)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Black Rose Rebellion's "Hail the Rebel Queen" is a pleasant surprise. With it
driving hard rock guitar sound, its soulful and bluesy vocals, its powerfully
throbbing bass and drums, the album plays like a throwback to the halcyon days
of heavy metal while layering in a modern tinge that makes the entire album
sound fresh and new.
Most songs feature an addictive, sing-a-long chorus (e.g., the opening track, "Burning Down), whereas others are a little more subtle while losing none of their explosive power ("Dead Man Running"). the token ballad, "Walk Along the Grave," gets its grit from the lyrical content, as well as the band's focused performance.
The surprise here is a cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic," which becomes a hard-edged, rock'n'roll monster (better than the original, IMHO).
The album closes out with another ballad-y track, "Affliction," which is more of a power ballad than the aforementioned "Walk Along the Grave," but closes out the album appropriately, like a song you'd hear during the end titles of a movie.
When all is said and done, "Hail the Rebel Queen" is a solid rock'n'roll record with astonishing musicianship, terrific vocals and songwriting that stands heads above many others. The bad news is that there are only seven tracks here; the good news is that you'll want to play them all again the moment the album comes to a close.
For more information, check out https://blackroserebellion.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
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Copyright © 2026 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
