Review
Red Hot Rebellion
Self Titled

Independent (2012) Scott Wilkinson

Red Hot Rebellion – Self Titled cover artwork
Red Hot Rebellion – Self Titled — Independent, 2012

Red Hot Rebellion are a band that was destined to be. Formed as the result of a want ad placed on Craigslist, they are now part of the music scene in Dayton, Ohio that has been strong for years now. As they say in their bio, they were “formed with a singular goal: to rebel against the watered-down excuse for Rock of the status quo.”

From the first cut off the album, “Wait And See,” to the last, “Two Fisting,” this three-piece band pumps out a sound loud enough to grab your attention and kick you in the ass at the same time. Lyrically punk, but musically a blend of classic rock and guitar-driven blues, they crank out what they lovingly refer to as “the soundtrack to a bar fight.”

The aforementioned lead-in song “Wait And See” tells the story that everyone with a job can relate to. An overbearing boss in a seemingly nowhere job and the building frustrations that end with the refrain, “If you think I won’t explode/ Just wait and see.” Another classic line, “It’s better to die behind a guitar, than die behind a gun,” from the song “For The Benefit Of Evil” proves their love for rock and roll, the guitar in this song is what old school classic rock is all about.

I think what impresses me most about the band’s lyrics is that they aren’t afraid to say what you wish you had the balls to: from the song “Devil’s Rope” you get “My back is sore from you riding on it every day.” Who hasn’t wanted to say that at least once in their lives?

Tunes like “Wild One,” “Cooking With Gas,” and “Two Fisting” stay true to the punk/classic rock feel and flat out rock. The entire album is a rock and roll feast, with every emotion from breakups to I-hate-my-boss, my-job-tinged-with-fury, and in-your-face-onslaught.

I was also impressed with the package deal they are marketing where they offer the cd\red vinyl LP\T-shirt\Comic book. The comic, written by bassist Jim Tramontana and artwork done by Peter Wonsowski works quite well and puts each song on the album into a common story line.

Red Hot Rebellion – Self Titled cover artwork
Red Hot Rebellion – Self Titled — Independent, 2012

Related features

Red Hot Rebellion

Interviews • April 11, 2012

Related news

New EP from Red Hot Rebellion

Posted in Bands on June 4, 2013

New High On Fire Mp3

Posted in MP3s on December 29, 2004

Recently-posted album reviews

Action/Adventure

Ever After
Pure Noise (2025)

Chicago’s Action/Adventure have been grinding the pop-punk trenches since 2014. They have always played pop-punk like it still has something to prove because for them, it does. They went viral in 2020 on TikTok with their song “Barricades” by calling out the exact thing no one in the scene wanted to say out loud. The genre is full of white … Read more

217

In Your Gaze
Time To Kill (2025)

If you didn’t know, hardcore and punk are alive and thriving in Italy. When I come across bands from there, their scene never ceases to amaze me. Italy gave us Raw Power and Negazione in the ’80s, Slander and Strength Approach in the 2010s. Now 217 picks up that lineage with their own mix of fire and reflection by keeping … Read more

Ugly Stick

Absinthe
Hovercraft Records (2025)

Contrary to what I said on Vh1’s Behind the Music, Tim from Hovercraft is one of my favourite human beings. I suppose in some ways that’s not saying much but Tim plays in one of my favourite bands, I’m a fan of his art and on top of those two things and running a label, his day job is saving … Read more