The Roughneck Riot – Out Of Anger

Rugged UK folk punk outfit The Roughneck Riot understands the underlying value in playing the type of melodic punk rock that fans want.  An album as skilled and straightforward as Out Of Anger relishes in the simplicity of a steady beat made all the more novel by an atmospheric combo of lead mandolin and accordion.  The ease and finesse of the combination makes for a welcome likeness to the ever steady, highly stylized rhythms of contemporaries Flatfoot 56.  It won’t take much for prospective fans to fall for the bawdy celtic overtones within.

Central to The Roughneck Riot’s instant appeal can be found in Out Of Anger’s steadfast pacing and renegade attitude.  Where some bands end up sticking to what they know and suffer for it, The Roughneck Riot stick to what they know and absolutely flourish.  Opener “Animosity” roars open like a sailor hot on the heels of pint of whiskey.  Vocalist Mattie’s lightly polished voice retains just the right mixture of coarse edges and raspy hoarse flow to sell the tough guy attitude without going overboard.  “Parasites” continues the momentum with tight harmonies that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Bad Religion tune, and “England’s Desperate Liars” finds Matty crisply picking his mandolin to a melody that could fit snuggly in an acoustic Dropkick Murphys crowd pleaser.   It boils down to personality, and the whole troupe comes together with plenty to offer.

There is a bit of a modern edge floating around the disc that serves to differentiate the Manchester sextet from their peers.  Take the initial moments of “Should We?”, in which the band briefly lives within a loosely pop/rock framework that reserves all but guitars, bass and drums until the battle cry worthy chorus.  Once the chorus hits, all bets are off – welcome to the party that is The Roughneck Riot.

That songs like “Never Silenced, Never Stopped” can exist in the absence of vocals for well over a minute speak to The Roughneck Riot’s sonic vision.  There’s little doubt that Out Of Anger will engross listeners.  Those with a keen ear will further find a vibrant social conscious as experienced from the modern working class.  These aren’t tunes about the distant coal miners and factory workers of yesteryear, but rather the toil and strain of a growing burdened class.  “It’s getting harder to survive, the world has got its back up against the wall” shouts Matty of life’s winding maze of a rat race in, “The Other Side.”

Out Of Anger never ventures far of The Roughneck Riot’s comfort zone, but that doesn’t stop it from just feeling right.  Out Of Anger keeps up a feverous pace without ever losing momentum or wearing out its welcome.  The band will inevitably need to evolve in due time, but as it stands now, The Roughneck Riot hits the mark, even if it’s a mark you may have heard before.