Emotionalpunk.com
Media Review
Music Quality: 8.5
Production: 9.0
Originality: 7.0
Tracklisting
2. Injection
3. Ready to Fall
4. Bricks
5. Under the Knife
6. Prayer of the Refugee
7. Drones
8. The Approaching Curve
9. Worth Dying For
10. Behind Closed Doors
11. Roadside
12. The Good Left Undone
13. Survive
In their almost secretly successful career, Rise Against have become an underground sensation. They’re one of those bands you don’t realize is huge until you notice they sell out 4 consecutive shows at the same venue—in 4 consecutive days. Until you see the plethora of sweaty fans of all ages, sizes, and sexes chanting in unison to every one of singer Tim McIlrath’s words, or until you witness firsthand the commanding presence of the singer, you never really realize how huge this band really is.
The anthemic, fist-lunging, bro-down style of Rise Against was a bit uninviting, initially—but after a couple listens, the raw, punchy rock of Rise Against proved all too infectious. “The Sufferer And The Witness” picks up where their last release left us—dizzy from angsty, driving melodic punk. It’s a bit more anthemic, this time though; songs like “Ready To Fall” and “Injection” boast soaring pop choruses and ill-tempered guitar riffs. For fans of McIlrath’s tempered down stylings, satisfaction can be found in the dark “Roadside,” with its strings and male/female vocal battling: “Hang me up and out to dry, cause I don’t think you see the places inside me…”
In the end, “The Sufferer And The Witness” might not be a revolutionary record for the band—it certainly falls in line with their style and nature. Still, the undeniable hooks might be just enough to convince you to become a Rise Against fan if you weren’t before—and no doubt will appease their fist-swinging, chanting, and effervescent fan base plenty. If you’re into aggressive, angry melodic punk that’s as catchy as it is loud, this record might be exactly what you were looking for.