Rise Against have always been at the forefront of punk rock since their inception. It's been a long time since we've heard new music from them - 2014's The Black Market was their last studio effort. After seemingly endless touring, the band are finally back with a big new album. Rise Against return with blistering new track 'The Violence' and are ready for another world takeover.
'The Violence' sees Rise Against in a familiar light: a strong guitar lead, Tim McIlrath's melodic and raspy delivery, and the big choruses are all trademarks of Rise Against's biggest tracks. The song is pretty strong, lots of little tidbits thrown in there to spice it up, such as the lo-fi guitars in the verses. The song is full of energy, bustling without a moment wasted.
Rise Against isn't much of a band to experiment, but they really own this sound. Normally it's encouraged for a band to change from record to record, but Rise Against are really the only band out there who has a sound like this and consistently owns it. The mix of intensity paired with the ending that gently sings "or was it all a dream?" just isn't something you find in this way anywhere else. Rise Against are the only ones.
Rise Against's new album Wolves is coming out June 9. 'The Violence' is a great way to usher the band into this new era, and stands as a blistering return for the band. They've been at it for a long time but aren't ready to quit just yet; in fact, they seem to be at the top of their game. This summer is shaping up to be a big one for music, and Rise Against is ready to rule it.
Rating: 86 / 100
Preorder Wolves here:
and buy or listen to 'The Violence' here: