New song is okay. Heard it on the radio a few times, and it sounds super-Rise Against. Have they put out anything that's really good?
I'll try to give you variety. "Bricks" "Swing Life Away" "Hero of War" "Savior" "Give It All" "Roadside" "Like the Angel" These songs above cover 4 of their 6 albums but their first album is just worth skipping over. As for a first time listener, I'd probably suggest listening to "The Sufferer and the Witness" although I personally like all their albums except "The Unraveling." "Appeal to Reason" is another album that is probably good for first time listeners. I also believe "Appeal to Reason" was their most successful.
Well that depends on what you want. I personally connect a lot with the political content and also the more introspective lyrics from the band. Tim Mcilrath is honestly one of the best musicians I know when it comes to lyrics and melodies. Technically they are one of the better punk rock bands out there. Here is a good display of their diversity lyrically and musically. The heavy punk sound with political and aggressive lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mVPyfJv_v0 A good example of how diverse they can be with their lyrics.... This one is much more story-telling ish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gX2kDsaYg0 The classic rock ballad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MjLKjPc7q8 The acoustic and slow tracks(this is one of my personal favorites): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ6GElRGw4g EDIT: Updated the first post. I personally feel a little indifferent about the first single. It's good but it doesn't really feel as fresh as I had hoped for. But I do really enjoy the vocal performance from Tim. Seems like the new album will be much more introspective. I am OKAY with that. Well their best album is Siren Song of The Counter Culture but all the albums after that are great. I really liked their first two albums too but they are much more raw and punk than anything else they have made.
Maybe I just need to re-listen to it. It's been 7 years. I was under the assumption that most Rise Against fans don't like that cd.
Most didnt like Endgame and Appeal To Reason , but i think this is the "Hybrid Theory - Syndrom". Little or bigger music changes can make your feelings confusing.
I love both of those albums Like I said, I like all Rise Against albums except The Unraveling. It's just not the same. After this album is when Rise Against became who they are in my opinion. I should note that Rise against is in my top 7 favorite bands of all time.
The Unraveling is pure unadulterated badass. Not my favorite album by them but it is still pretty good. Give these songs a second listen Blake: Six ways till sunday My Life inside your heart Remains Of Summer Memories Unraveling Reception fades Everchanging 1000 Good intentions 3 Days Weekend Weight of Time(one of their best songs from the punk era IMO)
Although my favourite album from them is probably Sufferer & The Witness, I'm a huge fan of their sound in Endgame. Unfortunately their new single feels waaaaaay too safe, and even the newly released iTunes song sounds less than good. Hopefully the album is a completely different animal.
I am going to see them too! On their Europe tour. I am with Faint into Pieces on this. While I really like the instrumentation on the first single, I really didn't find the lyrics that good. The lyrics on IDWBHA just seems kind of unoriginal and reused from previous songs: I don't want to be here anymore = Destination: Anywhere but here. While I do like the new single a bit more it is still not blowing me away like I would want it to. I remember the first time I heard Help Is On the Way from Endgame, that shit got me excited, because there were so many cool things going on in that - and it even had a big message. But after reading this interview I am a little more calm: http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/rise_against_black_market_interview_2014_tim_mcilrath?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=altpress Seems like things might actually change a lot on this new record.
Interesting interview... seems like "dirty" and "churning water" is Rise Against's "visceral" or "carnivorous" for this album cycle Seriously though, this sounds like the band is going through the same mentality LP went through for Living Things - the band feels comfortable in their own skin and wants to make music for their own causes rather than a specific audience. And I agree that Help Is On The Way was an incredible single. It had everything that makes Rise Against great but with a fresh sound.
The new song really speaks to me at, because I hate my job. A lot. But other than that, it's just "another Rise Against song". The entirety of Sufferer and the Witness. Goddamn what an album.
The Black Market leaked... Pretty much just another Rise Against album, nothing more nothing less. While some of the songs are great of course, it's rather disappointing to know exactly what you're gonna get with this band. The entire album feels like something I've already heard previously from them, and the lack of any real aggressive tracks takes any surprises out of the album.
My review: "The Black Market" is an example of what happens when a band is trying new things but still don't want to alienate their fans. This album turns out to be 50% of Rise Against on autopilot and 50% of Rise Against trying "new" things. What do I mean with new things you might ask. How about starting the album out with violins slowly building up into a pure punk rock anthem? "The Great Die-Off" is one of the albums highlights and sets the bar high for the rest of the album - unfortunately it can't reach the heights of the opening track for the most of the album. The next song "I Don't Want To Be Here Anymore" was the first single for the album and starts out with a jam that really sounds very much like the RA we all know. While I find the lyrics on this song and the overall generic feeling it left me with to be a let down, I still can't really dislike this song too much. I personally love the bridge and breakdown where the guitar and bass shows up to play some cool riffs/licks. "Tragedy+Time" feels like a more genuine and personal song written by Tim Mcilrath - On that note it is worth to say that this album have much less focus on politics than any of their older albums(maybe expect their first) T+T works because it is very catchy and the lyrics being very relate able while not sounding like a cliche. The title track reminds me a bit of "Broken Glass" from Endgame - and it feels less like a RA song than some of the other tracks which is a good thing. This lyrics on this song is really well written. Again a very personal song about "searching for a remedy" - which stays a bit away from the familiar structure. "The Eco-Terrorist In Me" is a fast aggressive firecracker that you will love for a little while and then it will burn out. This song contains most of the few "screams" from Tim on this record. Sudden Life is an example of RA on autopilot with only few stand out moments like the fast strumming palm muted guitar riff in the verses and the little melodic build up "Walking away from the light." Other songs like "A Beautiful Indifference" and "Methadone" also lacks something to make them standout from the rest of the RA catalog. ABI being one of the few political songs on the album while M being the classic ballad. Things shake up with one of the albums' best songs: "Zero Visibility" It is hard to describe the song but I will say that any fan of their old records or heavier songs should check this out. The only thing disappointing about this track is the chorus which just doesn't do the rest of the song justice. The solo on the song is a huge highlight for the album. "Awake Too Long" is a very interesting song lyrically. It's about the negative things that follows with being "aware and awake" of all the horrible things going on in the world we live in. The song fails to stand out because of the generic RA instrumentation and structure sadly. Now "People Live Here" is the song I have been waiting for. It's a slow acoustic and orchestrated song reminiscent of songs like "Roadside" and "Swing Life Away." It stands out as one of the best songs the band has written in a long time - and it makes people like me want a solo record from Tim more than anything else. The last song "Bridges" is a generic RA song... Not much to say unfortunately. Nothing makes this song really stand out from the record but it is decent. Overall the album feels a bit safe and like something you would expect from RA while still having some amazing songs. I might be a little harsh about some of the songs because of the facts that to me it feels like songs I have heard before(this is coming from a huge fan of the band) The album is inspired by artists like Touche Amore which gives the album more personal and meta communicative lyrics than what we heard on "Endgame" and "Appeal To Reason." I just wish they would had learned a little more from being on tour with TA. 7/10 Songs you need to listen to: The Great Die-Off Zero Visibility People Live Here Personal highlight: The bass on this album is killer. Personal let down: Not many standout guitar moments unlike Endgame which was full of them --> Overall feels like a downgrade from Endgame and Appeal To Reason.
At first I didn't love it but i'm starting to really get into the album, only listened twice so far tho.
Just listened to it! Sounds tremendously good! Reading some of those reviews made me worried at first but the album really surprised me. So far I think it's their best one since The Sufferer And The Witness. (even though it doesn't beat RPM, which is still one of my fave albums ever)