A progressive and energetic jam band based out of Nashville, Tennessee,
Roots of a Rebellion (
ROAR) emerged in 2010 with a sound that combines dub, roots reggae, rock, and hip-hop.
Comprised of Austin Smith, Marco Martinez, Adam Quellhorst, Troy Wiggins, Jeremyck Smith, and Justin Smith, the six-piece independently released their debut EP Inner Light in 2012. Looking to a wide array of influences that include
Sly and the Family Stone,
John Brown's Body,
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and
Flying Lotus, the band issued their first full-length effort,
Heartifact, independently in 2014. High-profile slots alongside
the Wailers,
Rebelution,
Slightly Stoopid, and
SOJA helped to expand the group's audience, paving the way for the release of their sophomore full-length outing
Brother's Instinct in 2016. Staying true to their D.I.Y. work ethic and independent nature,
ROAR released album number three,
Shapes of a Soul, via their own
Roots of a Rebellion imprint in 2019. ~ James Christopher Monger