Rev Theory

Rev Theory originated in 1997 when the hard rock group first assembled under the name Revelation Theory, featuring vocalist Rich Luzzi, bassist Matty McCloskey, guitarist Julien Jorgensen, and drummer Dave Agoglia. After cultivating supporters around Andover, Massachusetts, during their time at Merrimack College, the members relocated to New York in 2001 to pursue wider recognition. That gamble succeeded: following several years of club performances and local exposure, EMI inked the quartet in 2005 and issued the debut full-length The Truth Is Currency. Powered by the single “Slowburn,” Rev Theory secured support slots alongside Fall Out Boy, Evanescence, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, and Hinder. In 2007 longtime acquaintance Rikki Lixx came aboard as lead guitarist.

After switching to Interscope the following year, the band began crafting its sophomore effort, Light It Up; the title track gained traction in advance of release when it was selected as the official theme for WrestleMania XXIV. One month prior to the June arrival of Light It Up, “Hell Yeah” was tapped as the soundtrack for WWE’s One Night Stand event, deepening the group’s ties to professional wrestling. Capitalizing on the exposure, Rev Theory maintained a rigorous touring schedule that included dates with Trapt, Avenged Sevenfold, and Lynyrd Skynyrd before pausing in 2010 to develop fresh material. Their third album, Justice, surfaced on Interscope in early 2011.

Shortly before the 2012 EP Take ’Em Out appeared, Lixx exited and Paul Phillips of Puddle of Mudd assumed the lead-guitar position. The band promoted the release on the road, then returned to the studio. The track “Born 2 Destroy” surfaced in 2014 and was earmarked for a full-length projected for 2015, yet the official fourth album did not emerge until 2016. Titled Revelation and issued via Another Century Records, the set contained “We Own the Night,” which WWE later adopted as the theme for its reality series Breaking Ground.