For some, music is an escape from the outside world. For others, music is a response to the world around them. For Tribes of Revolt, music lies somewhere in the balance.  

Unique, passionate, brooding, aggressive - this is how fans have described the music of Tribes of Revolt. The band's uncompromising sound is achieved almost exclusively with acoustic guitars, providing a distinctive approach in a rock-driven setting that is relatively aggressive.

The earthy melodies and foreboding overtones resonate and form a natural bridge between the eclectic range of styles, which combine elements of hard rock with shades of Eastern and American roots music. The band has been compared to artists such as Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance, the Doors, Pink Floyd, and Tool. This haunting and soulful soundscape is lyrically anchored by a powerful message of universal trials and personal redemption. This message is influenced by a Christian perspective that recurs directly and indirectly throughout. Tribes of Revolt is a recording project that swims firmly against the current of mainstream music.

Tribes of Revolt was formed in 2004 and began recording its debut album later that year. The band spent the next two years in a private studio intermittently working on the project. The album, Firstborn, was released on June 27, 2006.

From CD Baby

The vocals of Jakob Dylan and Jim Morrison meet the acoustic side of GN'R Lies. The result is an intimate, slow-burning rock sound reminiscent of R.E.M.'s more serious moments. Firstborn, the self-released debut from Tribes of Revolt, is a refreshing departure from anything close to the norm. The songs are more in the rock category. The music alternately (and sometimes simultaneously) features high voltage electric guitars and layers of acoustic overtones. The sparse bass and drums recall indie rock or metal, without ever fully committing to either. Several of the tunes hint at radio-friendly song-craft, but are always offset by some dark twist or dissonant juxtaposition. The hit here is "Blood From a Leech", an angst-fueled anthem in the vein of Bob Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" with a Soundgarden-style arrangement. The finer moments also include the guitar-driven ballad "Dawn of a New Day", the high-octane power of "The Damage Undone", and the stark "From the Grave", the latter being augmented by angelic female vocals. Tribes of Revolt blend a wide range of influences into an otherworldly style of dense, acoustic-driven modern rock.

Combine low-tuned acoustic guitars, slow-burning electric leads, and healthy doses of Eastern scales, and what will you get? The result is Tribes of Revolt. The band's debut album, Firstborn, was released in June 2006. The band spent two years off and on in the studio recording Firstborn.

The sound on your record is largely based around acoustic guitars. How did you capture the guitars in the studio?

Typically we used a condensor mic and direct line from a piezo pickup, each going to seperate tracks. In the later recording sessions, we also added a soundhole pickup. Each guitar performance usually required two or three tracks. We usually had two guitars panned left and right throughout most songs. In some cases, we would double the number of guitars during the chorus or other sections. For example, if there were two guitars in the verses, we might have four guitars in the chorus or heavier sections. In the case of Black Roses, we actually had four guitars on the verses and cut back to two guitars for the chorus. We tried to keep the guitar arrangements symmetrical.

There are traces of electric guitar or distorted acoustic guitar throughout the album. How did that factor into the process?

In some cases, we just used an electric guitar, either through an amp or a direct line through an amp simulator plug-in. We did that when we deliberately wanted an electric guitar sound. Dawn of a New Day is entirely electric, even during the clean parts. Land of the Dead and Born Again both feature electric guitars, although I think some of the clean parts were acoustic. These Changes has some electric guitar throughout, but is mostly acoustic. Black Roses has some electric guitar on the verses just to fill out the sound. The chorus and bridge of Worlds Apart contain some electric guitar, and the solo is all electric. I think the solo on From the Grave is also clean electric.

What about other songs where you used distorted acoustic guitars?

Later in the sessions, we decided to record more strictly with acoustic guitars. This was just before we started using a soundhole pickup, which made it easier to get a good tone. Blood From a Leech was entirely acoustic, but we hadn't started using the soundhole pickup yet. It was just a microphone and piezo pickup. We ran those through amp simulators to give the guitars a heavier edge. On some of the last songs like The Damage Undone, we recorded slide guitar and some heavier parts through a Crate amp. The distortion was printed directly to the tracks when using an amp, whereas recording through plug-ins allowed us to tweak the levels in post-production. To a certain point, having endless options slowed the process down because it was time-consuming to keep making adjustments and second-guessing. On the other hand, it usually was a benefit. In some cases, after everything else was recorded, we decided it was necessary to reduce or increase the guitar distortion or change it altogether. It may have sounded good by itself, but it didn't fit into the overall blend. We were able to make those kinds of adjustments without retracking the guitar performances.

How was the drum tracking process?

Most of the people I worked with on the album came from a metal background. This was good because there are some heavier moments in some of the songs, but it was in a context of mostly acoustic guitars. This created an entirely different dynamic. Some of the drum tracks were done on the first take, and the rest were done within three or four takes. The drummers recorded to a click track. They were pretty much free to come up with their own arrangements as long as they fit the song. I occasionally made suggestions, such as if I liked something they had done in a previous take and I asked them to use that part again. The same process pretty much applied to the bass guitar parts too. We used a combination of a direct line and a microphone in front of an amp.

How do you feel about the album now that it is finished?

It was a long and drawn-out process. It was a learning experience. I was learning as I went in the studio, which meant that I was constantly going back and making revisions or additions. I was also composing and writing new parts, so I incorporated those as they developed. Making a record is like making a document of a period of time. This record took two years and I was evolving and learning as I went. It's a very organic album because the process changed along the way. It would have developed more quickly if I had made a more focused and concentrated effort. That being said, I am very pleased with the material. Ultimately, I got the album to be the best it could be at the time.

What do you think of the songs?

Dawn of a New Day is very beautiful, and I still like the guitar solos in that song and Worlds Apart. I really like These Changes, with the epic song structure and arrangement. Blood From a Leech is nice and agressive. Born Again is energetic and was the perfect song to share my faith. Black Roses is in 3/4 time and has orchestral elements. Land of the Dead is very electronic and dark. Every Mother goes in that direction and is haunting. The Damage Undone became one of my favorites after the album was finished. I like the energy and the arrangement. Under a Dying Sun is very ethnic and world-influenced, which is definitely a direction that I enjoy. I also like the lo-fi and low-key feeling of From the Grave.

So what now for Tribes of Revolt?

I had to get the first album out of the way as part of the learning process. After we finished this project, we took some time away from the studio to get the album ready and released. When we went back into the studio to begin pre-production for the second album, it was so much more relaxed and productive. It's actually fun to be in the studio this time, and I'm working on all cylinders now. Everything is so much better this time around, with regard to songwriting, performance, vocals, arrangements, and production. It's very exciting and inspiring now.

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