With their new album Appeal to Reason, Rise Against simultaneously expresses their political views of the Bush administration while discussing their rise to fame through their hard-hitting, fast paced, punk rock tracks.
Vocalist and lyricist Tim McIlrath strongly voices the band's opinions with his trademark rasp-ridden singing shout. Fittingly, he opens up his Appeal to Reason shouting alongside drummer Brandon Barres, guitarist Zach Blair and bassist Joe Principe's raw talent.
"Collapse (Post Amerika)" sets the take-no-prisoners tone and lyrical approach to the album.
"This is cardiac arrest/ Of a world too proud to admit our mistakes/ Crashing into the ground as we fall from grace," sings McIIrath.
Complementing an anti-Bush message, heavy beats and an accompanying guitar riff flood the ears of listeners as "Kotov Syndrome" resonates from their speakers.
"Here on the graves of the innocent/We raise our flag," sings McIIrath.
"Hero of War" presents a different side of the band, quickly turning from punk rock to indie acoustic, similar to the track "Roadside," off their previous effort The Sufferer & The Witness.
The band is sure to hit close to home as they tell the story of a soldier willing to die for his country and the mental toll such a sacrifice takes on a once-innocent mind.
After producing and recording Siren Song of the Counter Culture in 2004 and the aforementioned The Sufferer and the Witness in 2006, the band watched their core fan base grow exponentially. With a large twist in the message of the album, Rise Against discusses their newfound fame in "Entertainment" and "Audience of One."
However, they seem to struggle with their swift move from just another bar-performing indie band to mainstream talent. McIlarth offers a healthy dose of rhetoric with the line, "All we are is entertainment caught up in our own derangement."
Although it doesn't take a musically adept person to recognize that Rise Against is more than just entertainment, it takes a noble mind to realize that they are, or at least strive to be, the voice of their generation.
The only flaw to the album is, surprisingly, its cohesiveness. As each track slides easily into the next, it is difficult to tell where one begins and the next ends. Songs sound like those before, creating a limited range of different musical experiences.
Fans will appreciate the blunt way Rise Against manages to say what they want while not fearing the opinions of others. Whether a Bush-hater or not, listeners will recognize Appeal to Reason as a musically and lyrically impressive album that should not be missed.
