By Ginny Gillikin
Reviler played their first show together in November 2022. But, they’re already making noise within the South Carolina hardcore scene – and in Puerto Rico. The Greenville, SC band (Will Belue on vocals, Randall Rainey on guitar, Tyler Watson on bass, and Brett Wilbanks on drums) have played at least two shows a month since then – often more. They are currently recording their first EP, to be released on cassette and CD.
“We're really thankful for this resurgence of the hardcore scene in Greenville,” Belue said. “One of our good friends, José Ordonez, has been booking shows [at different venues] and that's been a really big catalyst for [the scene’s] growth.”
The band signed with Upstate Records, based in New York, after connecting with the label on social media this spring. Belue said the relationship unfolded organically, and said signing with the two-person label felt like an expansion of the band’s team.
“Having people like Mario and Kim [Cangemi] in our corner streamlined things like marketing and getting our music in the hands of people we would not be able to without them,” Belue said. “They came in to support our goals; they are there to lend whatever resources they can share with us. They stick close to the DIY ethic and give us complete and total freedom. We can bounce things off of them and they will give us good feedback.”
Reviler still does all their own booking, however. They have played in North and South Carolina at the Radio Room in Greenville, among other clubs, and as far as Jacksonville, Florida, at a venue called Island Tropics. They plan to go up to Virginia (“Richmond has a really cool scene.”) and have shows booked in Atlanta and Puerto Rico.
“Randall wanted to book a show in Puerto Rico since the band formed,” Belue said. “We had an Instagram follower from PR who got us connected with someone who booked shows, and the rest is history. At this point, we are setting goals – small and big – and doing whatever needs to happen to reach them.”
The band also produces merch in-house. Wilbanks, a tattoo artist by trade, created Reviler’s logo and designs for T-shirts. They make shirts through direct-to-fabric transfer with a heat press, rather than screen printing, so the design lasts longer.
Reviler has a plan for growth. Because info about hardcore bands and shows is primarily spread through word of mouth, connections and camaraderie are an important part of that.
“We have lots of friends in the Atlanta scene,” Belue said. “That crowd is constantly driving up to the Greenville shows and supporting our scene. You feel like you are super close with some of these people because you booked shows or played with them.”
As the band gains popularity, the greatest challenge is balancing family life with their music careers. They all have wives or girlfriends, children, and full-time jobs in addition to their work with Reviler. The men practice once a week and must agree on dates for shows.
“Our main focus right now is to get this first true release out,” Belue said. “We’ve seen a lot of growth from having [four] singles out. We attribute that to our live shows and performances. We’re thankful for the opportunity to play with some really cool bands, cultivate our own fan base, and continue to contribute [to the scene] with our merch and music. It will [always] be cool to me when I see a car that has my band’s sticker on it or when I see someone I don’t know who has my band’s shirt on.”
The band members keep their fan base energized and engaged through social media – primarily, Instagram.
“We can communicate about new releases, and promote live shows,” Belue said. “I think it’s really cool to have these personal connections with people from [social media and] playing shows; nothing beats that.”
The most unexpected thing about the band’s journey so far is “that people like our music,” Belue said. “It still blows my mind that people know my lyrics. They reach out to me on social media and ask me to send them lyrics to a certain song. [Hardcore is] such a special genre of music – you go to a show for a nominal fee and you are part of the experience. People get on stage with us and grab the microphone; it’s really fun.”
They end each show with the song “Cruel World.” At the most recent show before this interview, over 35 people piled on stage to sing with the band.
“It feels amazing, not in an egotistical way,” Belue said. “I feel so grateful to be a part of something like that. There’s no room for egos [in the hardcore scene]. We have fun and people see that; we want others to have fun, as well.”
Belue is elated that the hardcore scene in South Carolina is making a resurgence now, especially among younger kids. He is vegan and straightedge (abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs), so he acts as a mentor and gives advice to kids about that lifestyle.
“I’m seeing something that I was part of years ago – at the age of 14 or 15 – again,” he said. “It’s really cool to build friendships and give some sort of guidance to young kids – to be what so many people before me were to me. It’s come full circle.” Photos courtesy of Justin Nix, Zak Thornton, Reese Thomas, and Ashley Melton.