Joey Rival – Rooted In Blood

Joey Rival is a multi-talented musician from California. “Rooted In Blood” is one of his songs where he demonstrates his skills as a guitarist, singer, recording artist, and songwriter. The song begins with fast, sophisticated progressive metal guitar work that mixes with death metal vocals. The combination is obviously influenced by classic bands like Death, Meshuggah, and Metallica (especially during their “And Justice For All” era). It doesn’t take long to realize how complex the music is, with sophisticated bass and guitar rhythms that unite to provide an adventurous and thrilling progressive sound. The listener is drawn into a dynamic audio experience by such a complicated musical world, which carefully balances between the primal force of lunacy (raw vocals) with the accuracy of science (technical playing)! A notable point comes at 2:36, when a catchy riff recalling early Metallica generates a mood that’s instantly recognizable. In spite of these inspirations, Joey Rival creates his own distinctive sound, which is characterized by a surrealistic vocal style. His vocal style is raw and strong, pushing the boundaries of reality while providing his songs with strength and passion. “Rooted in Blood” explores themes of remorse, evil, and vengeance in its lyrics. The first few words, “Endless cycle of repentance all your life / Darkness beckons you it claws within your mind,” establish a depressing and reflective mood. “Take the flesh and rip it from the bone / Clear your mind and make your vengeance known” generates strong feelings of courage. The line “In bloods embrace our destinies entwined / Generations past and futures align” in the chorus highlights the song’s intense emotional content. Blood is a frequent theme that represents forgiveness as well as the connection between the past and the future. The last lyrics, “We bare the sins of all we loved / and lost control / In blood I will atone / The sorrow in my soul / Condemn my soul,” remain creepy. The repetition of “Lost control” and “Murdered my soul” highlights a sense of helplessness and sorrow. This track adds a lot to the progressive and death metal genres because to his unique style and creative approach.