Scarlet Rebels are now on that most difficult of releases – the fourth. It is important for the band to be seen to be moving forward and not getting into a familiar rut. And for the mostpart ‘Flawed By Design’ achieves just that – an album that shows their influences without copying them and draws deeply from personal experiences to make music that is worth far more than the casual listen. “You’re aware that you need to deliver something good, and that’s tough,” says Wayne Doyle, who co-founded the band in 2018. “You either fold or you get stuck in and dig deep. And I really dug deep.”
Among the bands influences are Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Tom Petty, even Bon Jovi and it sounds like a bit of The Gaslight Anthem’s dense and impassioned sound is there too. They aren’t afraid to go for the big melodies or to bring the heat. This is music that would be great in the 100 Club or scale up to Wembley Arena.
The lineup is the same, with Wayne Doyle on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, brother Gary on drums, lead guitarist Chris Jones and bass from Carl Oag and they are produced again by Chris Clancy. Jones’ guitar work is superb, chiming riffs and fine solos and Gary Doyle’s drums hammer the beat, driving the music with an incessant punch. Carl’s bass lines are strong and fluid. But the voice of the band belongs to Wayne and his impassioned vocals carry the music.
The album is introspective and looks deeply into real life. “Part of what was shaping my thinking was a good friend of mine who had been diagnosed with incurable oesophageal cancer,” explains Wayne. “He was going through treatment while I was writing. The week I went in to record vocals, I was told he had passed away. I didn't realise until I was singing the vocals back to myself that I was touching on something so deep.” “The concept of the album title, Flawed By Design, comes from questioning how it’s fair for a healthy, fit 40-year-old gentleman with a young daughter to be taken so fast,” he continues. “I felt that if there is a higher power, it must be flawed to allow that.”
“I want us to be recognized for the depth of our material,” says Wayne. “I want us to be known as a band that writes heartfelt songs that resonate and touch people. Like Springsteen, we can have the party atmosphere, but we also have those poignant moments. We want to move people physically, but we want to move them emotionally too.”
For me, ‘Flawed By Design’ definitely passes the test. Music with depth and worth playing loud, not as background music.
