Album Review: Ronnie Stash & The Resistance

Ronnie Stash and the Resistance is a three-piece that’s been quietly building a loyal grassroots following through high‑energy live shows, and in 2025 they finally released their self‑titled debut.

Fronted by Jacob Ambrose (vocals/guitar), Simon Carey (bass), and Bill Wilkes (drums), their sound sits somewhere between gritty rock, reggae vibes, and metal undertones. They hail from rugged Invercargill and have put in the work across Southland’s dive bars and local venues – and you can hear it. Their debut is a little raw, a bit rough around the edges in the best way, and incredibly unique.

Tracks like the opener, Fat Cat Back Scratch will make you think you know what you’re in for. Great acoustic intro, and gravelly vocals on point from Jacob Ambrose. It plays out like a solid alternative number. Lyrically? It’s anything but. Offbeat and random at times but somehow it all works, and once you lock in, hell yeah.

And if you think you’ve got their sound figured out only one track in, think again. Just to give you an understanding of how diverse they are, skip ahead to Monsoon. It’s big – it’s giving 80’s hair metal, Ronnie James Dio energy. And that vocal change up? Again, hell yeah. I’m loving it and honestly, it’s such a good way to round things out.

Like I said, they really don’t stick to one lane either. There’s rock, reggae, blues, metal all mashed together into something that somehow works. Lyrically they blend dark humour, a bit of grit, some warmth in there too. It’s a bit like loaded fries – chaotic, slightly overwhelming but an awesome flavour.

Knuckle Head leans heavily into reggae vibes paired with those metal undertones. Add a changing tempo and the roughness of Jacob’s vocals and you’re left with something slightly frantic that then mellows in all the right spots, but it’s so cool and unique.

Ronnie Stash and the Resistance are truly the flavours no one thinks of pairing together. They’re so different that it makes you think about them long after you’ve listened. Their debut is unique and they deserve all ears.