Rising to the occasion

When I think of modern day punk rock, a few names come to mind. Bad Religion, NOFX, Anti-Flag, The Bouncing Souls and Rise Against. Rise Against is back with a new one entitled The Sufferer and the Witness, their second release on major label Geffen after jumping from Fat Wreck Chords (owned by Fat Mike of NOFX). What we have is 13 punk rock anthems that mash high-energy punk rock with melody and emotion to create a stunning record.\nRise Against are not new to the punk scene. Formed from the ashes of punk stalwarts 88 Fingers Louie, Rise Against put out their debut The Unraveling on Fat Wreck Chords in 2001. What would result is a fast, raw and catchy punk gem that would push these Chicago natives forward to become a huge band in the punk world. The Sufferer and the Witness is Rise Against's fourth album, and it is a polished bit of punk rock greatness.\n"Chamber The Cartridge" begins the album with the fast, aggressive style that echoes their second release Revolutions Per Minute. Sufferer shifts its weight between these fast and raw songs reminiscent of old Rise Against, and their newer, more melodic sound that their major label debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture. \n"Ready To Fall," the first single of the record, is a scorching and damn catchy song. Just don't watch the music video; it's cheesy (Rise Against is a big supporter of PETA, so imagine a video based on this). "Drones," very much single material as well, is in the same vein, with soaring, crunching guitars and a sing-along chorus. This song deals with matters of religion, as most of Rise Against's material is related to political issues. \nRise Against have strayed away from the typical three chord punk song structure, and have added quite a bit of depth to their songs. "The Approaching Curve" is very experimental, switching back and forth between spoken word and singer Tim McIlrath's distinctive singing voice. "Roadside" slows the pace down, and adds female vocals in the background, creating a very somber and chilling track.\nRise Against have become a part of popular main-stream culture, but this has not affected their music. They have expanded their sound to create an album that is heavy, swift and angry at points, but at the same time, can be melodic, catchy and heartfelt. Rise Against are the exception in an endless amount of imitating bands in punk rock that will never have the technicality and emotional drive that this band has.