The Vike – “Rebel At Heart”
The Vike – “Rebel At Heart” – Single Review
Word on the street is that post-pandemic, Alt/Rock band The Vike is back in action…and lemme tell ya folks, it’s more than apparent from this new single “Rebel At Heart” that they have come back fired-up and ready to roll! It’s high octane entertainment that smartly mixes an Alternative edge with those big, giant, fist-pumpin’ Hard Rock/80s-style cuts you know & love…I dig that this single is very much a hybrid of all these kinds of things without being any single one of them too much, know what I mean? The Vike has great balance in what they’re creating…and it’s because of that, they’ll appeal to a very widespread audience with a track like this one – plus, it certainly don’t hurt that they’ve got a badass video for it too.
For real! I love the use of black & white in the footage with just that tiny hint of copper color added to it – that’s wildly effective for visuals, and as a result of how well-shot this video is, they’re actually able to make the most out of every moment you see, which is really just cruisin’ in a car when it comes right down to it, but because of how kickass & cool everything looks, you’d hardly notice that they’ve kept the core theme to “Rebel At Heart” extremely simplified. It’s also a solid match for the song itself, which is more or less an anthem for anyone out there that’s looking to blaze their own trail in LIFE and not just get up outta bed for another shift at the ol’ 9-5. I heard the words for the first time, and I was like, ‘fuck YEAH – this song has been written for ME’ – you know what I mean? I think that anyone that’s found their way off the grid successfully with find much in common with the sentiment of The Vike’s words in this single…we’ve all rebelled against the establishment & society’s set way of doing things in our own unique way, am I right? Tracks like “Rebel At Heart” make you wanna turn up the volume, and sing along, because rebels at heart is exactly who we ARE. And so like I said…it actually makes a whole lot of sense to have a video not be overly complicated – what The Vike have goin’ on as they cruise their way through the city is a perfectly visual expression of embracing that rebels sense of what freedom really is. Because it’s not just representative of ONE day – this is EVERY day if you’re living you’re life right, 100%.
Association…the things we know, the things we’ve experienced…they can work for & against any band or artist out there really – these are the things we naturally compare new things to, and draw upon for our frame of reference. For example – you might see the word ‘rebel’ in the title, and naturally think of Star Wars – whereas I being a music-dude, end up immediately thinking of Billy Idol. Add in the Hard Rock/80s vibes you get in the gang vocals of the main hooks in the chorus, and that latter comparison becomes completely realistic – and especially if you consider the fact that you’ll hear the lyrical line of “rebel yell” added into The Vike’s new tune as well…trust me folks, none of this stuff is coincidental. So that somewhat shows how it can work in a band’s favor…anyone out there that likes Idol’s music would no doubt find something to like or love about “Rebel At Heart” here too. Other kinds of association, like seeing how many times they freakin’ switch places in the seats of the car as they’re driving around is probably going to conjure up thoughts & comparisons to “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette for many people, even though a single like this sounds nothing like her, and the video is ultimately different from that too – isn’t THAT ironic? Association is all about where our brains go, right or wrong, it’s just how we naturally see & compare things. Anyhow…The Vike have got their own vibe and they make that crystal clear really damn quickly – they’ve got a top-down drivin’ tune here that celebrates freedom and the desire to do things differently than the rest of society, and I can certainly connect with that – chances are, I’m not alone either. That’s a core message that’ll resonate with many of you listening & watching, and for plenty good reason – I think we all WANT that, for the most part…whether or not we’ll achieve it or be brave enough to go after it is a whole different story and a fork in the road that so many of us, especially the creative types, eventually come up against. Hopefully there are a few of you INSPIRED by what you see & hear in a song/video like this one from The Vike…hopefully it induces that craving to be a rebel in your own way, and live life the way YOU want to.
Aside from all that insightful stuff and the killer visuals you can see onscreen, The Vike should be proud of how they’ve held their own in the instrumentation and vocals of “Rebel At Heart” – this worked out great on all fronts, and they play this single like a unified force that is completely on the same page. United by the core meanings within the song, and clearly a love of all-things-Rock, they’ve set out to create an anthem designed to inspire through leading by example, and I’d imagine “Rebel At Heart” will certainly connect with a whole bunch of people as a result of the authenticity they bring to this single. Because like I was tellin’ ya – they’re not JUST playing, they’re not JUST performing – what you’ll hear on this song is the blueprint for how they chose to live life…they mean every word they’re singing, and play every note you’ll hear with passion & purpose – at the end of the day, you can’t ask for more than that.
Find out more about The Vike at this magical multi-link right here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/thevike/rebel-at-heart
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