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Rise Against’s new album appeals to listeners
“Appeal to Reason” delivers activist message in punk package
By Abby Jacobsen
“The harsh lyrics combined with the raw guitar and percussion melodically meshing together makes the impact of the song almost epic.”
Rise Against, one of those bands you hear of every once in a while, has actually been around since 1999 and continues to pop up in our musical culture again and again. The melodic punk band is mostly known for their punk rock songs, but also their activism. Their most familiar music video and song, “Ready to Fall,” was a single released from their last album, “The Sufferer and The Witness.” The song (and video in particular) presented a clear stance by the band against pollution, including their view on the effects of such pollution.
The band just released their fifth album, “Appeal to Reason”, in early October. The much anticipated album (originally supposed to be released in May of 2008), ranked third on the Billboard 200, giving Rise Against their highest album ranking ever. The CD released in stores consists of 13 tracks, with the iTunes release consisting of 14 tracks and an added digital booklet with the album art and photographs.
The opening track, “Collapse (Post-Amerika),” gives an overall vibe (that the rest of the album continues to portray) of the band’s authentic punk feel. The guitar solo within the first 20 seconds kicks off the album with the fast paced, in-your-face vibe. The entire song has the band’s political views woven through it, streaming from beginning to end. With lines like “When the air that we breathe becomes air that we choke/when the marsh fever spreads from the swamps to our homes/when your home on the range has been torn down and paved and/the buffalo roam to a slaughterhouse grave” the message the song is trying to illustrate becomes explicitly clear.
The band continues on their punk-activist vibe with the song “Re-Education (Through Labor).” Starting off with anticipation by building the drum and guitar beat, the song was released as the first single to the album to have the biggest impact and voice to the band’s ideals. You can decode through the lyrics that the song focuses on child labor and how wrong it is. The harsh lyrics combined with the raw guitar and percussion melodically meshing together makes the impact of the song almost epic.
Adding on to their hardcore and punk sound, the song “Entertainment” captures those exact ideals. The song has the upbeat feel, which is accomplished by the guitar, drum, bass and back-up vocal combinations. Mid-song the band breaks down into a circus inspired tune, amplifying the theme of the song. Also, the cynical tone and screams of lead singer Tim McIlrath’s voice adds to the sincerity of the message to this classic example of a punk song.
An uncharacteristic sound was added to the album with the track “Hero of War.” The lyrics still contain sarcasm and usual nature of cynicism, only this time pointed towards the military. The difference with the song is that it’s a acoustic. This way the listener can focus on the unambiguous lyrics and message ringing true throughout the song.
The fifth album, “Appeal to Reason,” carries on Rise Against’s classic punk-activist sound. The punkcore band will be touring from now until March 2009 and the tour will consist of a stop at Milwaukee’s Rave concert hall on Nov. 17. The newest CD is available in stores and online, and more concert information can be found on the Rave’s website.
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