Rise Against
Encyclopedia
Rise Against is an American punk rock
band from Chicago
, Illinois
, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath
(lead vocals
, rhythm guitar
), Zach Blair
(lead guitar
, backing vocals
), Joe Principe
(bass guitar
, backing vocals
) and Brandon Barnes
(drums
, percussion).
Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords
, on which it released two studio albums, The Unraveling
(2001) and Revolutions per Minute
(2003). Both the albums met with considerable underground success, and in 2003 the band signed with the major label Geffen
.
The band's major label debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture
brought the band mainstream success, producing several successful singles. The band's fourth studio album, The Sufferer & the Witness
debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart and received positive reviews from critics. The band's fifth studio album Appeal to Reason
was released on October 7, 2008 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. All three albums released via Geffen were certified platinum
in Canada and gold
in the United States. The band is known for its political lyrics and activism, actively promotes animal rights and all members are straight edge
(excluding Barnes), PETA
supporters and vegetarians. Rise Against recently recorded its sixth studio album Endgame
at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, and it was released on March 15, 2011.
and Baxter
. The first lineup consisted of Tim McIlrath
(vocals), Joe Principe
(bass and vocals), Toni Tintari (drums), and Mr. Precision (guitar and vocals). Though the band never performed live with this lineup, it released a self-produced demo EP
entitled Transistor Revolt
in 2000, a year before signing with Fat Wreck Chords
. Tintari left shortly after recording the EP, and was replaced by Brandon Barnes
, after a short time with Dan Lumley
of Screeching Weasel
and Squirtgun
as the drummer.
The band changed its name to "Rise Against" in 2001 and released their first album, The Unraveling
(produced by veteran punk producer Mass Giorgini
) on Fat Wreck Chords that same year. Mr. Precision left the band in 2001, and was replaced by Todd Mohney
of The Killing Tree
.
After touring in support of The Unraveling, the band returned to the studio in December 2002 to work on their second full-length, Revolutions per Minute
(produced by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room), which was released in 2003. The band toured extensively in support of its first two records, opening for Sick of It All
, NOFX
, Agnostic Front
, No Use for a Name
, AFI
, and Strung Out
. In addition, Rise Against participated in the 2003 Warped Tour
.
in December 2003 and recorded their third album, Siren Song of the Counter Culture
, in 2004. Dreamworks was shortly absorbed by the Universal Music Group
, and Rise Against found itself with Geffen Records
, a Universal Music Group subsidiary. Shortly after the band signed with Geffen, Mohney left and was replaced by guitarist Chris Chasse. Rise Against released Siren Song of the Counter Culture in August 2004 on Geffen Records. The album, in addition to being the band's first on a major record label, was their first to crack the Billboard 200
chart and was certified gold
by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). The album received generally positive reviews from critics, but drew criticism for its accessibility and melodious sound compared to previous Rise Against works. In giving the album 3 out of 5 stars, Johnny Loftus of Allmusic commented "Siren Song of the Counter Culture sometimes gets carried away with its own melodic urgency." However, he also stated that because of the album being the band's major-label debut, "maybe the fuller sound and occasional forays into acoustic guitars and cello overdubs...are OK."
Rise Against toured North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan in support of Siren Song of the Counter Culture. Some of the most notable mentions include performances on the first international Taste of Chaos
tour in 2005 (with Funeral for a Friend
, Story of the Year
, The Used
, and Killswitch Engage
), a worldwide tour to the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, the Give It a Name
tour in the UK, the Reading Festival and Leeds Festival
in the UK, a US tour with Alkaline Trio
, and the Warped Tour
in North America.
studio in Fort Collins, Colorado with producers Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore. Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge
at Resonate Sound in Burbank, California, The Sufferer & the Witness
was released on July 4, 2006. The album peaked at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 48,397 copies in its first week of release; it was eventually certified gold by the RIAA in 2008. The Age
newspaper said that with The Sufferer & the Witness, the band "returns to their punk roots." In addition to earning Rise Against its best chart and sales numbers at the time, the album was generally well-received by critics. Corey Apar of Allmusic, in giving the album 4 out of 5 stars, said of it, "the band's inner grit is aptly drawn out amid all the pit-ready choruses and fist-in-the-air, stirring lyrics." and also commented that "Rise Against continue to muscularly confront political and personal grievances to the tune of swirling guitars, assertive rhythms, and Tim McIlrath's sandpapered vocals." Contrastingly, Christine Leonard of Fast Forward Weekly said of the band, "Returning to their old school form with the ballistic intensity of "Bricks," they just as quickly lose focus with questionable efforts such as 'Worth Dying For' and the oh-so-weary 'Prayer of the Refugee.'"
A DVD titled Generation Lost
was released on December 5, 2006 to promote the band and their new album. It contained a documentary of the careers of the band members, as well as live performance videos and making-of clips. Rise Against toured in support of The Sufferer & the Witness throughout the second half of 2006 and all of 2007. The band was a headliner in the 2006 Warped Tour
. In late 2006, the band co-headlined a tour with Thursday that included the bands Circa Survive
and Billy Talent
. In early 2007, the band supported My Chemical Romance
as openers on the first half of their arena tour. On February 23, 2007, Rise Against announced the departure of guitarist Chris Chasse, who left on his own accord because the touring schedule was becoming "too much," on the band's official website. Chasse was replaced by longtime friend Zach Blair
from Only Crime
. On June 15, 2007, the band began their first official headlining tour in support of The Sufferer & the Witness; it was a North American tour that lasted throughout the summer months. During this tour, on July 3, 2007, Rise Against released an EP in Canada titled This Is Noise
, which was subsequently released in the United States on January 15, 2008.
Rise Against played at the sixteenth annual KROQ
Weenie Roast
on May 17 in Irvine, California
, and at the sixth annual Download Festival
on June 13 at Donington Park
, England
. They also played at Switzerland's Greenfield Festival as well as Germany's Hurricane Festival and Southside Festival. Like several previous years, the band participated in the Warped Tour
, although they decided only to perform on the tour's west coast swing from August 6 to
August 17.
Rise Against's fifth studio album Appeal to Reason
was released on October 4 in Australia, October 6 across Europe, and October 7 in the United States. The album sold 64,700 copies in its first week and peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, making it Rise Against's highest-charting album to date. Appeal to Reason was met with generally positive reviews. However, critics did not rate it as highly as The Sufferer & the Witness, mostly blaming the movement toward the mainstream and away from faster hardcore punk. Giving the album a C+ rating, Marc Weingarten of Entertainment Weekly
said the album is filled with "protest anthems that lean closer to the burnished angst of such bands as New Found Glory
and Fall Out Boy
than the genuine outrage of brainy Green Day
" and songs that are "peppy but pretty empty, power-chord downers with little bark or bite." Kyle Anderson of Rolling Stone stated that the songs on Appeal to Reason "are driven by an ever-sharpening pop sensibility." He also said that "Rise Against may be nervous about leaving the underground behind, but with sharp songs like these, they're ready for the rest of the world."
Rise Against released a song called "Death Blossoms" for DLC on Guitar Hero: World Tour on March 12, 2009. "Ready to Fall" and "Audience of One" were also added for a track pack. Another song called "Sight Unseen" was released on the Internet at about the same time. As of December 2010, the two songs have not been released anywhere else and is unclear if the two will appear on their next album.
Two previously unreleased songs from the Appeal to Reason recording sessions were released on Fat Wreck Chords on May 12, 2009, as a self-titled 7" vinyl
. The release included the songs "Grammatizator" and "Voice of Dissent" and was released on 7 inch vinyl, with 1010 pressings made on coloured vinyl and a further 4008 made on black vinyl.
Rise Against embarked on a North American tour with bands Rancid
, Billy Talent
, Killswitch Engage
, and Riverboat Gamblers in June and July 2009. They were also on a short tour of the UK
in November, which was supported by the bands Thursday
and Poison the Well
. The band also played at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas in December 2009, playing right before AFI
. After completing a European tour from October to November 2009, an Australian tour in January and February 2010 and a summer European festival tour, Rise Against began recording their next album in the fall of 2010. In September 2010, Rise Against took part in A.V. Club Undercover by covering the song "Sliver
" by Nirvana
.
On September 7, 2010, It was announced on their official website that Rise Against would be releasing their second live DVD entitled Another Station: Another Mile
on October 5, 2010. According to the band this DVD will focus more on the band's live, unreleased footage than a documentary, but will show backstage, on tour, and on the road footage as well.
, Rise Against had begun recording their sixth studio album for a 2011 release, at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado. On Rise Against's latest DVD Another Station: Another Mile
, there are samples of possible songs for their upcoming album played throughout the beginning of the DVD. Rise Against has announced two South American shows in Brazil and Argentina and a run of European shows in late February and March 2011 respectively.
Rise Against finished recording their sixth studio album, Endgame
, in January 2011, after they recorded some last minute guest vocals for the record. The lyrics of the album focus on real world events, such as Hurricane Katrina
and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
. According to McIlrath, although the lyrics discuss grim topics, they actually take on a positive view and were written from the perspective of: "What if the place on the other side of this transition is a place we'd all rather be living in?" On January 12, 2011, Rise Against announced the release date of Endgame as March 15, 2011. Although Spin Magazine labeled Endgame as a concept album
, on January 7, 2011, McIlrath tweeted a clarifying message stating that "the record is not a concept record and, fret not, has absolutely nothing to do with the Dixie Chicks
." The first single from the album, "Help Is on the Way", debuted on KROQ
on January 17. A second song from the album, "Architects", was debuted and released digitally on February 15. As a promotion effort, the band embarked on a short tour of South America in February and then a month-long tour of Europe in March. Upon returning to the United States, the band announced a U.S. spring tour with Bad Religion
and Four Year Strong
.
Endgame is notable for being the first album to establish Rise Against's stance on homophobia with the third song on the album, "Make It Stop (September's Children)
," which references the September 2010 suicides of teenagers in the LGBT community, specifically mentioning Tyler Clementi, Billy Lucas, Harrison Chase Brown, Cody J. Barker, and Seth Walsh. Upon the album's release, the band put a message on their website inviting listeners to apply the songs' messages to current events, in addition to those on which they were originally based.
On May 10, 2011, the band released a 7" split vinyl with Face to Face
. The 7" features 2 songs, with each band covering a song by the other band.
In August 2011, Rise Against will make appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.
The band has been announced as the main support act for the Foo Fighters
' fall US tour. Rise Against will support the Foo Fighters on 9 dates in September, with Mariachi El Bronx
as the opening act. After this, the band announced a tour of Canada throughout October, supported by Flogging Molly
and Black Pacific. The tour will consist of nine dates.
Rise Against have revealed dates for the first leg of their 2012 U.S. tour. The trek will include the opening act A Day To Remember
. There will be a European Leg with Touché Amoré
and Architects
as support, too.
, an animal rights
organization. Their video for the single "Ready to Fall
" contains footage of factory farming, rodeos, and sport hunting, as well as deforestation, melting ice caps, and forest fires. The group has called the video the most important video they have ever made. The Director's Cut of the video was first made available to a PETA website. In 2009, the band was voted Best Animal-Friendly Band by PETA. In addition to being vegetarians, all the members of Rise Against, except drummer Brandon Barnes, are straight edge
; that is, they abstain from consuming alcohol or using recreational drugs.
In addition to their support of animal rights, the band has voiced their support for other progressive
causes. During the 2004 United States presidential election
, the band was part of Punkvoter, a political activist group, and appeared on the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1
compilation. The Rock Against Bush project raised over $1 million for then presidential candidate John Kerry
. During the 2008 presidential election
, the band members endorsed Barack Obama
. In a news bulletin in early 2009, the band stated: "Few things are more exciting than watching Bush finally release America as his eight year hostage."
shoes that would be "completely vegan in consideration to [their] animal rights efforts". In response to criticism spawning from a rampant rumor of Vans' use of sweatshops, Rise Against released a statement to address the matter on both their MySpace profile and website saying,
,punk rock
, or hardcore punk
. The band has cited numerous punk and hardcore bands as influences to its music. In 2004, drummer Brandon Barnes stated: "I think we have a lot of different influences from hardcore like old Cave In
, to a lot of punk like Face to Face
, Screeching Weasel
, and Down By Law
."
In 2006, Tim McIlrath stated of the band's style: "We’re emulating Minor Threat
and Black Flag
. Who knows, maybe if Ian MacKaye
was wearing eyeliner then I would be." Other bands that have influenced Rise Against include Descendents
, Dead Kennedys
, Refused
, Bad Religion
, Social Distortion
, Nirvana
, and Anti-Flag
.
Former members
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
(lead vocals
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
), Zach Blair
Zach Blair
Zach Blair is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Chicago-based hardcore punk band Rise Against. He is originally from Sherman, Texas.Before joining Rise Against in early 2007, Blair was a member of hardcore punk group Only Crime along with his brother, Doni Blair, who currently plays with...
(lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
), Joe Principe
Joe Principe
Joe Principe is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He primarily uses Fender basses, Mesa amps and cabinets, and he uses pick-playing exclusively....
(bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) and Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes is an American musician and producer from Denver, Colorado. He is best known as the drummer for the punk rock band, Rise Against. Barnes is the only member of the band who is not straight edge.-Biography:...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion).
Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
, on which it released two studio albums, The Unraveling
The Unraveling
The Unraveling is the debut full-length album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001, and distributed through Fat Wreck Chords. Mass Giorgini produced the album at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, in December 2000. It is the only Rise Against studio album on...
(2001) and Revolutions per Minute
Revolutions per Minute (Rise Against album)
Revolutions per Minute is the second album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It features the single "Like the Angel" as well as a cover of Journey's single, "Any Way You Want It". The album is considered by many long-term fans to be overwhelmingly their best work.The album had a limited...
(2003). Both the albums met with considerable underground success, and in 2003 the band signed with the major label Geffen
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
.
The band's major label debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Siren Song of the Counter Culture
-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Joe Principe – Bass, backing vocals*Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals*Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussionArtwork*Shepard Fairey – Cover illustration...
brought the band mainstream success, producing several successful singles. The band's fourth studio album, The Sufferer & the Witness
The Sufferer & the Witness
-Personnel:Rise Against* Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar solo on "Prayer of the Refugee"* Joe Principe – Bass guitar, backing vocals* Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussion...
debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart and received positive reviews from critics. The band's fifth studio album Appeal to Reason
Appeal to Reason
The Appeal to Reason was a weekly political newspaper published in the American Midwest from 1895 until 1922. The paper was known for its radical politics, lending support over the years to the Farmers' Alliance and Populist movement before becoming a mainstay of the Socialist Party of America...
was released on October 7, 2008 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. All three albums released via Geffen were certified platinum
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
in Canada and gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in the United States. The band is known for its political lyrics and activism, actively promotes animal rights and all members are straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
(excluding Barnes), PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
supporters and vegetarians. Rise Against recently recorded its sixth studio album Endgame
Endgame (Rise Against album)
Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Produced by Bill Stevenson, it was released on March 15, 2011. Rise Against began work on the album in September 2010, after completing touring in support of its previous album, Appeal to Reason, in mid-2010...
at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, and it was released on March 15, 2011.
Independent years (1999–2003)
Rise Against was formed under the name Transistor Revolt in 1999 by former members of the bands 88 Fingers Louie88 Fingers Louie
88 Fingers Louie is a band from Chicago, Illinois which was formed in 1993.They play a style of hardcore punk, melodic hardcore, and punk rock. In 1993 they released their debut 7", Go Away. After disbanding in 1999, members Joe Principe and Dan Wleklinski went on to form the punk rock band Rise...
and Baxter
Baxter (punk band)
Baxter was a Chicago post-hardcore band. The band consisted of Tim McIlrath , Neil Hennessy, , Timothy Remis, and a bassist only referred to as J...
. The first lineup consisted of Tim McIlrath
Tim McIlrath
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
(vocals), Joe Principe
Joe Principe
Joe Principe is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He primarily uses Fender basses, Mesa amps and cabinets, and he uses pick-playing exclusively....
(bass and vocals), Toni Tintari (drums), and Mr. Precision (guitar and vocals). Though the band never performed live with this lineup, it released a self-produced demo EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Transistor Revolt
Transistor Revolt (demo)
-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath - lead vocals*Mr. Precision - guitar, backing vocals*Joe Principe - bass, backing vocals*Toni Tintari - drums, percussion...
in 2000, a year before signing with Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
. Tintari left shortly after recording the EP, and was replaced by Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes is an American musician and producer from Denver, Colorado. He is best known as the drummer for the punk rock band, Rise Against. Barnes is the only member of the band who is not straight edge.-Biography:...
, after a short time with Dan Lumley
Dan Lumley
Dan Lumley has been a drummer for many bands, including Rattail Grenadier, Squirtgun, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Even in Blackouts, The Mopes, Common Rider and Screeching Weasel. He was also a brief member of Rise Against...
of Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
and Squirtgun
Squirtgun
Squirtgun is an American punk rock band from Lafayette, Indiana formed by record producer Mass Giorgini in 1993.-1993-1998:Squirtgun originally consisted of Mass Giorgini , Matt Hart , Flav Giorgini , and Dan Lumley .The band signed to Lookout! Records and their first release was the EP...
as the drummer.
The band changed its name to "Rise Against" in 2001 and released their first album, The Unraveling
The Unraveling
The Unraveling is the debut full-length album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001, and distributed through Fat Wreck Chords. Mass Giorgini produced the album at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, in December 2000. It is the only Rise Against studio album on...
(produced by veteran punk producer Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini is an Italian-American bassist and record producer, who rose to fame when several of the bands he produced experienced huge gains in popularity during the pop-punk boom on the mid-90's. Among these bands was Giorgini's own Squirtgun, which received minor MTV rotation and several...
) on Fat Wreck Chords that same year. Mr. Precision left the band in 2001, and was replaced by Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney is an American guitarist, who formerly played guitar for the melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is from Joliet, Illinois and currently resides in Los Angeles. He was active in The Killing Tree side-project band with Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath. The Killing Tree hasn't played...
of The Killing Tree
The Killing Tree
The Killing Tree was a post-hardcore band from Chicago, Illinois. They were another band of Tim McIlrath , and also contain a former guitarist from Rise Against, Todd Mohney....
.
After touring in support of The Unraveling, the band returned to the studio in December 2002 to work on their second full-length, Revolutions per Minute
Revolutions per Minute (Rise Against album)
Revolutions per Minute is the second album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It features the single "Like the Angel" as well as a cover of Journey's single, "Any Way You Want It". The album is considered by many long-term fans to be overwhelmingly their best work.The album had a limited...
(produced by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room), which was released in 2003. The band toured extensively in support of its first two records, opening for Sick of It All
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...
, NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
, No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
, AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
, and Strung Out
Strung Out
Strung Out is a Californian punk rock band from Simi Valley, California, formed in 1992. They are known mainly for their musical style, which fuses aspects of punk rock and heavy metal to form their primary sound. They have released seven albums on Fat Wreck Chords and appeared on numerous...
. In addition, Rise Against participated in the 2003 Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
.
Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004–2005)
Rise Against signed onto Dreamworks RecordsDreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
in December 2003 and recorded their third album, Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Siren Song of the Counter Culture
-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Joe Principe – Bass, backing vocals*Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals*Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussionArtwork*Shepard Fairey – Cover illustration...
, in 2004. Dreamworks was shortly absorbed by the Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, and Rise Against found itself with Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
, a Universal Music Group subsidiary. Shortly after the band signed with Geffen, Mohney left and was replaced by guitarist Chris Chasse. Rise Against released Siren Song of the Counter Culture in August 2004 on Geffen Records. The album, in addition to being the band's first on a major record label, was their first to crack the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart and was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). The album received generally positive reviews from critics, but drew criticism for its accessibility and melodious sound compared to previous Rise Against works. In giving the album 3 out of 5 stars, Johnny Loftus of Allmusic commented "Siren Song of the Counter Culture sometimes gets carried away with its own melodic urgency." However, he also stated that because of the album being the band's major-label debut, "maybe the fuller sound and occasional forays into acoustic guitars and cello overdubs...are OK."
Rise Against toured North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan in support of Siren Song of the Counter Culture. Some of the most notable mentions include performances on the first international Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos is a hardcore tour that was started in the winter of 2005 by Kevin Lyman, the creator of the successful Warped Tour along with friend and business partner, John Reese. The Taste Of Chaos tour caters for fans of the post-hardcore, screamo, and metal genres, while offering the same...
tour in 2005 (with Funeral for a Friend
Funeral for a Friend
Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band, from Bridgend. Formed 2001, they have released five studio albums, seven EPs, sixteen singles, one DVD, and one compilation album.-Formation and Early Years:...
, Story of the Year
Story of the Year
Story of the Year is an American rock band formed in St. Louis, Missouri in 2000. The band was initially named 67 North but was then changed to Big Blue Monkey...
, The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
, and Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
), a worldwide tour to the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, the Give It a Name
Give it a Name
Give it a Name, also known as GIAN, , named after an At the Drive-In song, was an annual British rock music festival, normally held on the weekend nearest to the end of April. The first festival took place on May 2, 2005 at Alexandra Palace, North London...
tour in the UK, the Reading Festival and Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival may refer to:*Reading and Leeds Festivals , a rock music festival in Leeds , West Yorkshire, England*Leeds Festival , European classical music festival in Leeds...
in the UK, a US tour with Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
, and the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
in North America.
The Sufferer & the Witness (2006–2007)
In January 2006, after touring in support of Siren Song of the Counter Culture, Rise Against recorded their fourth studio album at the Blasting RoomBlasting Room
The Blasting Room is a recording studio in Fort Collins, Colorado, built by members of Descendents, ALL, and Black Flag, including punk drummer Bill Stevenson....
studio in Fort Collins, Colorado with producers Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore. Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge
Chris Lord-Alge
Chris Lord-Alge is a mixer who has worked on various albums. He is the brother of Tom Lord-Alge, another audio engineer. Chris Lord-Alge is known for his extreme use of dynamic range compression in both hardware and software plug-in versions....
at Resonate Sound in Burbank, California, The Sufferer & the Witness
The Sufferer & the Witness
-Personnel:Rise Against* Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar solo on "Prayer of the Refugee"* Joe Principe – Bass guitar, backing vocals* Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussion...
was released on July 4, 2006. The album peaked at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 48,397 copies in its first week of release; it was eventually certified gold by the RIAA in 2008. The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
newspaper said that with The Sufferer & the Witness, the band "returns to their punk roots." In addition to earning Rise Against its best chart and sales numbers at the time, the album was generally well-received by critics. Corey Apar of Allmusic, in giving the album 4 out of 5 stars, said of it, "the band's inner grit is aptly drawn out amid all the pit-ready choruses and fist-in-the-air, stirring lyrics." and also commented that "Rise Against continue to muscularly confront political and personal grievances to the tune of swirling guitars, assertive rhythms, and Tim McIlrath's sandpapered vocals." Contrastingly, Christine Leonard of Fast Forward Weekly said of the band, "Returning to their old school form with the ballistic intensity of "Bricks," they just as quickly lose focus with questionable efforts such as 'Worth Dying For' and the oh-so-weary 'Prayer of the Refugee.'"
A DVD titled Generation Lost
Generation Lost
Generation Lost is a DVD documentary by the punk rock band Rise Against. It contains a documentary entitled How We Survive, directed by Davy Rothbart, and the songs "Injection", "Like the Angel", "Black Masks & Gasoline", and "Paper Wings" performed live at a show at The Troubadour in Los Angeles...
was released on December 5, 2006 to promote the band and their new album. It contained a documentary of the careers of the band members, as well as live performance videos and making-of clips. Rise Against toured in support of The Sufferer & the Witness throughout the second half of 2006 and all of 2007. The band was a headliner in the 2006 Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
. In late 2006, the band co-headlined a tour with Thursday that included the bands Circa Survive
Circa Survive
Circa Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
and Billy Talent
Billy Talent
Billy Talent is a Canadian post-hardcore band from Streetsville, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with Ben Kowalewicz as the lead vocalist, Ian D'Sa on lead guitar, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk ....
. In early 2007, the band supported My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
as openers on the first half of their arena tour. On February 23, 2007, Rise Against announced the departure of guitarist Chris Chasse, who left on his own accord because the touring schedule was becoming "too much," on the band's official website. Chasse was replaced by longtime friend Zach Blair
Zach Blair
Zach Blair is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Chicago-based hardcore punk band Rise Against. He is originally from Sherman, Texas.Before joining Rise Against in early 2007, Blair was a member of hardcore punk group Only Crime along with his brother, Doni Blair, who currently plays with...
from Only Crime
Only Crime
Only Crime is a melodic hardcore group formed by Good Riddance singer Russ Rankin and Bane guitarist Aaron Dalbecin 2003. The band plays melodic but hard-hitting punk rock that borrows heavily from early-1980s hardcore bands such as Black Flag.-History:...
. On June 15, 2007, the band began their first official headlining tour in support of The Sufferer & the Witness; it was a North American tour that lasted throughout the summer months. During this tour, on July 3, 2007, Rise Against released an EP in Canada titled This Is Noise
This Is Noise
This Is Noise is the first EP by Rise Against. It was released on July 3, 2007 in Canada, and January 15, 2008 on iTunes by Geffen Records. The EP features 5 songs....
, which was subsequently released in the United States on January 15, 2008.
Appeal to Reason (2008–2010)
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
Weenie Roast
KROQ Weenie Roast
KROQ Weenie Roast is a multi-artist alternative rock concert, presented annually in June by the Los Angeles, California, USA radio station KROQ-FM. Since its beginning in 1993, the event has been traditionally held on a Saturday in June, except from 2005 to 2009 when it occurred in May.Every year...
on May 17 in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, and at the sixth annual Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
on June 13 at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They also played at Switzerland's Greenfield Festival as well as Germany's Hurricane Festival and Southside Festival. Like several previous years, the band participated in the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
, although they decided only to perform on the tour's west coast swing from August 6 to
August 17.
Rise Against's fifth studio album Appeal to Reason
Appeal to Reason
The Appeal to Reason was a weekly political newspaper published in the American Midwest from 1895 until 1922. The paper was known for its radical politics, lending support over the years to the Farmers' Alliance and Populist movement before becoming a mainstay of the Socialist Party of America...
was released on October 4 in Australia, October 6 across Europe, and October 7 in the United States. The album sold 64,700 copies in its first week and peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, making it Rise Against's highest-charting album to date. Appeal to Reason was met with generally positive reviews. However, critics did not rate it as highly as The Sufferer & the Witness, mostly blaming the movement toward the mainstream and away from faster hardcore punk. Giving the album a C+ rating, Marc Weingarten of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said the album is filled with "protest anthems that lean closer to the burnished angst of such bands as New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
and Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
than the genuine outrage of brainy Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
" and songs that are "peppy but pretty empty, power-chord downers with little bark or bite." Kyle Anderson of Rolling Stone stated that the songs on Appeal to Reason "are driven by an ever-sharpening pop sensibility." He also said that "Rise Against may be nervous about leaving the underground behind, but with sharp songs like these, they're ready for the rest of the world."
Rise Against released a song called "Death Blossoms" for DLC on Guitar Hero: World Tour on March 12, 2009. "Ready to Fall" and "Audience of One" were also added for a track pack. Another song called "Sight Unseen" was released on the Internet at about the same time. As of December 2010, the two songs have not been released anywhere else and is unclear if the two will appear on their next album.
Two previously unreleased songs from the Appeal to Reason recording sessions were released on Fat Wreck Chords on May 12, 2009, as a self-titled 7" vinyl
Rise Against 7"
"Grammatizator" / "Voice of Dissent" is a single by the American punk rock band Rise Against, released May 12, 2009, on Fat Wreck Chords.According to the band, the single was a result of a bet the band lost to NOFX frontman and Fat Wreck Chords chairman Fat Mike, to release an exclusive 7" vinyl on...
. The release included the songs "Grammatizator" and "Voice of Dissent" and was released on 7 inch vinyl, with 1010 pressings made on coloured vinyl and a further 4008 made on black vinyl.
Rise Against embarked on a North American tour with bands Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, Billy Talent
Billy Talent
Billy Talent is a Canadian post-hardcore band from Streetsville, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with Ben Kowalewicz as the lead vocalist, Ian D'Sa on lead guitar, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk ....
, Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
, and Riverboat Gamblers in June and July 2009. They were also on a short tour of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in November, which was supported by the bands Thursday
Thursday (band)
Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
and Poison the Well
Poison the Well (band)
Poison the Well was an experimental hardcore band from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who were last signed to Ferret Music. Guitarist Ryan Primack and drummer Chris Hornbrook were the only remaining members of the band who were involved since their inception, although vocalist Jeffrey Moreira was...
. The band also played at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas in December 2009, playing right before AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
. After completing a European tour from October to November 2009, an Australian tour in January and February 2010 and a summer European festival tour, Rise Against began recording their next album in the fall of 2010. In September 2010, Rise Against took part in A.V. Club Undercover by covering the song "Sliver
Sliver (song)
"Sliver" is a song by American grunge band Nirvana. It was originally released as a non-album single in 1990 by Sub Pop. DGC re-released the song to radio to support the release of the rarities compilation album Incesticide in 1992....
" by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
.
On September 7, 2010, It was announced on their official website that Rise Against would be releasing their second live DVD entitled Another Station: Another Mile
Another Station: Another Mile
- Personnel :* Tim McIlrath - lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Zach Blair - lead guitar, backing vocals* Joe Principe - bass guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes - drums, percussion- Charts and certifications :...
on October 5, 2010. According to the band this DVD will focus more on the band's live, unreleased footage than a documentary, but will show backstage, on tour, and on the road footage as well.
Endgame (2010–present)
On September 14, 2010, according to guitarist Zach BlairZach Blair
Zach Blair is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Chicago-based hardcore punk band Rise Against. He is originally from Sherman, Texas.Before joining Rise Against in early 2007, Blair was a member of hardcore punk group Only Crime along with his brother, Doni Blair, who currently plays with...
, Rise Against had begun recording their sixth studio album for a 2011 release, at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado. On Rise Against's latest DVD Another Station: Another Mile
Another Station: Another Mile
- Personnel :* Tim McIlrath - lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Zach Blair - lead guitar, backing vocals* Joe Principe - bass guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes - drums, percussion- Charts and certifications :...
, there are samples of possible songs for their upcoming album played throughout the beginning of the DVD. Rise Against has announced two South American shows in Brazil and Argentina and a run of European shows in late February and March 2011 respectively.
Rise Against finished recording their sixth studio album, Endgame
Endgame (Rise Against album)
Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Produced by Bill Stevenson, it was released on March 15, 2011. Rise Against began work on the album in September 2010, after completing touring in support of its previous album, Appeal to Reason, in mid-2010...
, in January 2011, after they recorded some last minute guest vocals for the record. The lyrics of the album focus on real world events, such as Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed unabated for three months in 2010, and continues to leak fresh oil. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry...
. According to McIlrath, although the lyrics discuss grim topics, they actually take on a positive view and were written from the perspective of: "What if the place on the other side of this transition is a place we'd all rather be living in?" On January 12, 2011, Rise Against announced the release date of Endgame as March 15, 2011. Although Spin Magazine labeled Endgame as a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, on January 7, 2011, McIlrath tweeted a clarifying message stating that "the record is not a concept record and, fret not, has absolutely nothing to do with the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
." The first single from the album, "Help Is on the Way", debuted on KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
on January 17. A second song from the album, "Architects", was debuted and released digitally on February 15. As a promotion effort, the band embarked on a short tour of South America in February and then a month-long tour of Europe in March. Upon returning to the United States, the band announced a U.S. spring tour with Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
and Four Year Strong
Four Year Strong
Four Year Strong is an American pop punk band from Worcester, Massachusetts, formed in 2001. The group consists of vocalists and guitarists Dan O'Connor and Alan Day, bassist Joe Weiss, and drummer Jackson Massucco...
.
Endgame is notable for being the first album to establish Rise Against's stance on homophobia with the third song on the album, "Make It Stop (September's Children)
Make It Stop (September's Children)
"Make It Stop " is the second single from punk rock band Rise Against's sixth studio album, Endgame. The single was released digitally to digital stores on May 30, 2011. The single's peak at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs charts and number thirteen on U.S. Billboard Rock...
," which references the September 2010 suicides of teenagers in the LGBT community, specifically mentioning Tyler Clementi, Billy Lucas, Harrison Chase Brown, Cody J. Barker, and Seth Walsh. Upon the album's release, the band put a message on their website inviting listeners to apply the songs' messages to current events, in addition to those on which they were originally based.
On May 10, 2011, the band released a 7" split vinyl with Face to Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
. The 7" features 2 songs, with each band covering a song by the other band.
In August 2011, Rise Against will make appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.
The band has been announced as the main support act for the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
' fall US tour. Rise Against will support the Foo Fighters on 9 dates in September, with Mariachi El Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx is the fourth studio album by the Los Angeles rock band The Bronx, released on September 1, 2009 through Swami Records in the United States and Wichita Recordings in the United Kingdom. It marks a divergence from the band's usual hardcore punk and hard rock sound in favor of a...
as the opening act. After this, the band announced a tour of Canada throughout October, supported by Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
and Black Pacific. The tour will consist of nine dates.
Rise Against have revealed dates for the first leg of their 2012 U.S. tour. The trek will include the opening act A Day To Remember
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida. Founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denny and drummer Bobby Scruggs, the band has released four studio albums, nine singles and eight music videos...
. There will be a European Leg with Touché Amoré
Touche Amore
Touché Amoré is an American melodic hardcore band that was formed in 2007.The band released their debut 7" demo on No Sleep Records in September 2008. After a few west coast tours, the band went back into the studio to record their full length entitled ...To the Beat of a Dead Horse. The album was...
and Architects
Architects (British band)
Architects are an English Metalcore band from Brighton, England, formed in 2004. The band went through several name changes before they decided upon Architects. Their first name was Inharmonic, which was swiftly changed to Counting the Days...
as support, too.
Politics and ethics
All of the group's members are vegetarians, with lead vocalist Tim leaning into vegan, and active supporters of PETAPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
, an animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
organization. Their video for the single "Ready to Fall
Ready To Fall
"Ready to Fall" is the first single by the punk rock band Rise Against from their fourth studio album, The Sufferer & The Witness .An acoustic version of this song was performed live on the CJZN Radio station in Victoria, British Columbia, on January 18, 2007, before a Billy Talent concert...
" contains footage of factory farming, rodeos, and sport hunting, as well as deforestation, melting ice caps, and forest fires. The group has called the video the most important video they have ever made. The Director's Cut of the video was first made available to a PETA website. In 2009, the band was voted Best Animal-Friendly Band by PETA. In addition to being vegetarians, all the members of Rise Against, except drummer Brandon Barnes, are straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
; that is, they abstain from consuming alcohol or using recreational drugs.
In addition to their support of animal rights, the band has voiced their support for other progressive
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
causes. During the 2004 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, the band was part of Punkvoter, a political activist group, and appeared on the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1
Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1
Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 is a Rock Against Bush compilation album released on the Fat Wreck Chords record label. It contains a collection of songs, both released and unreleased, by various punk rock artists and includes a bonus DVD with political facts, commentary regarding the U.S...
compilation. The Rock Against Bush project raised over $1 million for then presidential candidate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. During the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, the band members endorsed Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. In a news bulletin in early 2009, the band stated: "Few things are more exciting than watching Bush finally release America as his eight year hostage."
Vans shoes
On May 23, 2007 Rise Against announced their endorsement of a new line of VansVans
Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.- History :On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, brothers Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, and three other partners opened up their first store...
shoes that would be "completely vegan in consideration to [their] animal rights efforts". In response to criticism spawning from a rampant rumor of Vans' use of sweatshops, Rise Against released a statement to address the matter on both their MySpace profile and website saying,
Musical style and influences
Rise Against's musical style throughout the band's career has been described by most critics as melodic hardcoreMelodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on vocal melody. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming and shouting.-History:...
,punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, or hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. The band has cited numerous punk and hardcore bands as influences to its music. In 2004, drummer Brandon Barnes stated: "I think we have a lot of different influences from hardcore like old Cave In
Cave In
Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995, in Methuen, Massachusetts. After several members changes in the late 90's, their lineup solidified with the 1998 release of Until Your Heart Stops through Hydra Head Records. Their early albums were prominent releases in the independent...
, to a lot of punk like Face to Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
, Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, and Down By Law
Down by Law (band)
Down by Law is a punk rock band formed in 1989 by former All frontman Dave Smalley, who is the their only permanent member. The band has recorded 7 studio albums. They stayed on Epitaph Records until 1998 and have since switched to labels. Down by Law has never achieved substantial commercial...
."
In 2006, Tim McIlrath stated of the band's style: "We’re emulating Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
and Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
. Who knows, maybe if Ian MacKaye
Ian MacKaye
Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, label owner, and producer. Active since 1979, MacKaye is best known for being the frontman of the influential hardcore punk bands Minor Threat and The Teen Idles, the post-hardcore bands Embrace and Fugazi, as well...
was wearing eyeliner then I would be." Other bands that have influenced Rise Against include Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, Refused
Refused
Refused was a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1991. In total the band released five EPs and three albums, before splitting up in 1998...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, and Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
.
Band members
Current members- Tim McIlrathTim McIlrathTimothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitar (since 1999) - Joe PrincipeJoe PrincipeJoe Principe is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He primarily uses Fender basses, Mesa amps and cabinets, and he uses pick-playing exclusively....
– bass guitar, backing vocals (since 1999) - Brandon BarnesBrandon BarnesBrandon Barnes is an American musician and producer from Denver, Colorado. He is best known as the drummer for the punk rock band, Rise Against. Barnes is the only member of the band who is not straight edge.-Biography:...
– drums, percussion (since 2000) - Zach BlairZach BlairZach Blair is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Chicago-based hardcore punk band Rise Against. He is originally from Sherman, Texas.Before joining Rise Against in early 2007, Blair was a member of hardcore punk group Only Crime along with his brother, Doni Blair, who currently plays with...
– lead guitar, backing vocals (since 2007)
Former members
- Toni Tintari – drums (1999–2000) (only in "Transistor Revolt")
- Dan LumleyDan LumleyDan Lumley has been a drummer for many bands, including Rattail Grenadier, Squirtgun, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Even in Blackouts, The Mopes, Common Rider and Screeching Weasel. He was also a brief member of Rise Against...
– drums (2000) (rehearsals only, no recordings or concerts) - Mr. Precision (Dan Wleklinski) – lead guitar, backing vocals (1999–2002)
- Todd MohneyTodd MohneyTodd Mohney is an American guitarist, who formerly played guitar for the melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is from Joliet, Illinois and currently resides in Los Angeles. He was active in The Killing Tree side-project band with Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath. The Killing Tree hasn't played...
– lead guitar, backing vocals (2002–2004) - Kevin White – lead guitar, backing vocals (2002)
- Chris Chasse – lead guitar, backing vocals (2004–2007)
Discography
Studio albums- The UnravelingThe UnravelingThe Unraveling is the debut full-length album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001, and distributed through Fat Wreck Chords. Mass Giorgini produced the album at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, in December 2000. It is the only Rise Against studio album on...
(2001) - Revolutions per MinuteRevolutions per Minute (Rise Against album)Revolutions per Minute is the second album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It features the single "Like the Angel" as well as a cover of Journey's single, "Any Way You Want It". The album is considered by many long-term fans to be overwhelmingly their best work.The album had a limited...
(2003) - Siren Song of the Counter CultureSiren Song of the Counter Culture-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Joe Principe – Bass, backing vocals*Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals*Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussionArtwork*Shepard Fairey – Cover illustration...
(2004) - The Sufferer & the WitnessThe Sufferer & the Witness-Personnel:Rise Against* Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar solo on "Prayer of the Refugee"* Joe Principe – Bass guitar, backing vocals* Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussion...
(2006) - Appeal to ReasonAppeal to ReasonThe Appeal to Reason was a weekly political newspaper published in the American Midwest from 1895 until 1922. The paper was known for its radical politics, lending support over the years to the Farmers' Alliance and Populist movement before becoming a mainstay of the Socialist Party of America...
(2008) - EndgameEndgame (Rise Against album)Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Produced by Bill Stevenson, it was released on March 15, 2011. Rise Against began work on the album in September 2010, after completing touring in support of its previous album, Appeal to Reason, in mid-2010...
(2011)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Title | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Ready to Fall Ready To Fall "Ready to Fall" is the first single by the punk rock band Rise Against from their fourth studio album, The Sufferer & The Witness .An acoustic version of this song was performed live on the CJZN Radio station in Victoria, British Columbia, on January 18, 2007, before a Billy Talent concert... " |
MTVu MtvU mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages... Good Woodie Award |
Nominated |
| 2008 | "Rise Against" | Rock on Request Award | Won |
| 2009 | "Rise Against" | Best Animal-Friendly Band (PETA Peta Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model... ) |
Won |
| 2009 | "Re-Education (Through Labor) Re-Education (Through Labor) "Re-Education " is the first single from Rise Against's fifth studio album, Appeal to Reason. The single was released digitally to digital stores and radio stations on August 25, 2008. A music video was released on the same day.... " |
MuchMusic Video Award MuchMusic Video Awards The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos.... |
Nominated |
| 2011 | "Make It Stop (September's Children) Make It Stop (September's Children) "Make It Stop " is the second single from punk rock band Rise Against's sixth studio album, Endgame. The single was released digitally to digital stores on May 30, 2011. The single's peak at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs charts and number thirteen on U.S. Billboard Rock... " |
MTV Video Music Award | Nominated |