Rise Against released their new album Appeal to Reason on October 7^th

Rise Against released their new album Appeal to Reason on October 7^th. This fifth CD follows their chart-topping The Sufferer and the Witness album. The Chicago based band has moved to mainstream radio-rock despite their underground background. Overall, Appeal to Reason is similar to their previous album with the run-and-gun verses and powerful choruses. Singer Tim McIlrath brings his distinctive sound of raspy-harmonies and political lyrics. His choruses still grab hold of you with lyrics like “I don’t hate you / but I just want to save you” and “This is not a test / This is cardiac arrest.”

“Collapse (Post-Amerika),” starts the album sounding like an old punk-rock track from a Tony Hawk videogame. This energy is carried for most of the album. “The Strength to Go On,” “The Dirt Whispered” and the opener share strong choruses, driving verses, and fitting interludes which make up the recipe for the Rise Against sound.

“Kotov Syndrome” has a quick drum intro.  Even if it’s only a hint of drums, it is still nice to hear the booming sound that The Sufferer and the Witness was peppered with. Although the song isn’t anything out of the ordinary, those few seconds when Brandon Barnes lets loose make this track makes for a more familiar Rise Against sound.

 Although these songs are good separately, the album cries for something different in its tracks. Guitar intros, double-time verse drumming and breaking choruses lay the framework for the typical Rise Against song. The songs that break this mold, gives a fresh sound and come to the album’s rescue are: “From Heads Unworthy,” “Audience of One,” “Hero of War,” and “Whereabouts Unknown”.

The song “Hero of War,” is about the stories of soldiers in Iraq heard by the band. This is an acoustic song which is a nice break from the higher energy songs on the CD. The melody is very catchy but the second verse is very aggressive and overly detailed. “They took off his clothes / They pissed in his hands…” takes away from the sincerity of the chorus. This must be the feeling Tim McIlrath was looking for.

Another song that differs from the sound theme is “Audience of One.” With the peeking through of the guitar and spacious reverb sound of the drums, this song is already on track to grab your attention. The drawn out pick scrape, a staple for the band’s sound, makes a cameo in the beginning of this song. Once the band comes fully into play, the sound is similar to The Used or Armor for Sleep. The verses come in and actually keep the energy with lyrics like, “I can still remember / the words and what they meant / as we etched them with our fingers / in years of wet cement.” The chorus does its job and keeps the song flowing.

This new CD is classic Rise Against. The different sounds in a few songs, the pounding verses, and uplifting choruses make this album distinct, yet similar enough for any and all fans of the rock/punk genre.