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 | Rise AgainstThe Sufferer & the Witness2006 Geffen 
 Review by: Aubin See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on July 4th 2006
The success of Siren Song of the Counter Culture, Rise Against's previous album, should have been a surprise, but frankly, I must admit that it wasn't. The single that broke the band was a simple contribution to a little compilation called Punk Goes Acoustic. But even then it was clear that it was a little moment of greatness; a powerful hardcore/punk band channeling their emotion through a simple acoustic song, and when it was re-recorded and released on Siren Song, I knew that it would have an impact.
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great album, amazing band anyone who likes any of their previous albums will definitely like this one. yeah, this is a solid album. its not their best, but its solid. hell, at times its more hardcore than Siren song. woops i ment good solid cd. i got it the day after it came out and its still brilliant fuckit, i'll listen to this all summer the same way you 30-ish types did pennywise in 96!!! punk will never die!! favorite band, but there's something about this CD, be it lack of screams/solos or just mainstream-ness that prevents me from enjoying this. I cant stop listening to them. There so fucking good! each album gets better and better so fuck anyone who doesnt think so pretty damn good. i just hate major labels and this is clearly them trying to retain their Punk Rock roots, which i find acceptable. its just that the punk rage isn't there anymore. its kinda like major-label bad religion but worse. but their first two records kinda changed my life, so its hard to bitch. i mean, come on, a P.R.M.C label on the front!?!?!?! pretty good album, but its mad lame that they are touring with MCR. i wanna fuck all the band members slutty wives up the hershey highway it's a grower, but a very good record. The Unraveling = good, Favourite album of the year so far, Chamber The Cartridge is a song I liked straight away, it took a while for me to get into the rest, as one night I realised how amazing Under The Knife, Prayer Of The Refugee, Drones, Behind Closed Doors, Worth Dying For and The Approaching Curve were, and later got into Survive followed by The Good Left Undone and Roadside. Maybe it's because i'm like, all smart and arty now but I bought this album out of nostalgia and was kind of bored by it. RPM is still pretty kick ass every now and then, and this sounds almost exactly the same.. but it just doesn't quite do it for me. The production is super clean, and the whole presentation is just too heartfelt for it's own good, like they could take themselves slightly less seriously, i.e. that kick ass Journey cover. Oh well. Rise Against is one of the best punk bands out there, anyone who says otherwise doesn't know a fucking thing about music. This is an amazing album, best songs being "Injection, Prayer of the Refugee, Drones, Chamber of Cartridge and Behind Closed Doors". The female vocals on "Roadside" take the song much farther, and anyone who can't understand the cover art shouldn't talk about it. Bloody amazing. Fuckin great cd, my favorite by rise against yet. Only gripe is that ready to fall doesnt carry the hardcoreness from the chorus all the way through, it gets a bit poppy but other than that FUckin A! Heard it twice on the way to work cant wait to knock off, makin the drive worthwhile Okay, this album really has grown on me. There is not a bad track on here. The only real complaint I have is the opening track. While "Chamber the Cartridge" is a great song, I just wish Rise Against would've opened with one of their more hardcore numbers, like they did with "Siren Song..." I like openers that knock me in the teeth. Good review, but a question for aubin: Yeah, this will definitely have to grow on me. I'm on my third time listening to it, and it's literally growing on me one track at a time as of this writing. Oddly enough, the songs that have grown on me include "The Approaching Curve." Weird, I know, what with the spoken word and everything. The other two that have grown on me thus far are "Roadside" (in which I agree with Aubin: this song has single written all over it) and "Chamber the Cartridge." I'm hopeful, though, as it took me a while to really appreciate and enjoy each of Rise Against's previous albums. Almost as great as RPM, and definitely better than Siren Song... Soooo stuctured and predictable, this record is BORING I guess I might have to let this grow on me. It's nothing special and I'm confused why everyone is busting a nut over it. Better than Siren Song and not as good as RPM. It's hard to take anything this band says about "the man"--and their general take on politics seriously at all. Can anyone say top ten TRL radio rock band? Blah. Too many generic chorus/verse songs lacking the energy that RPM had. The single isn't that great and I'm already sick of it. obviosly some of the members here do not understand how songwriting goes. you dont try and write songs in a certain style of music. when the band came out with their album titled "Revolutions per Minute", thats who they were. and for "Siren Song", when they wrote "Swing Life Away", thats who they were. bands dont write songs to please the public, before you can please the public you must first please yourself. This band is on top of the punk world right now!!! This is easily going to be in my top five of the year. one of the best albums this year Score was supposed to be 3/5, not 3/10. What is the deal with all the pops on this album? Major label albums usually are pretty damn smooth... I can't imagine how all the random clicks passed everyone's inspection. This isn't some low-fi indie band, so I doubt they're trying to simulate vinyl... punk is dead... ...And I have nothing against major labels, just something against a band that calls an album "Revolutions Per Minute", and then does a safe, cutesy acoustic pop song. You know, I am too much of an immature idealist. But...cynics don't change anything. I'll try to be more sensible, and give fewer knee-jerk reactions, but I'm still going to be an eliteist asshole. Everyone OK w/ That? "Wow noone likes rise against now? I thought this album was good...I dont think they are very comparable to other bands around today. They sound too much like 90's punk, but everyones too dumb to notice that." Wow noone likes rise against now? I thought this album was good...I dont think they are very comparable to other bands around today. They sound too much like 90's punk, but everyones too dumb to notice that. laaaaaame Hahaha. Another major label shit band releases some crappy record and feeding has to make the cliche "punx iz dead!" statement. This is a good record, but the review is kind of off-putting, with a sycophantic tone. And the stuff about the video just seems like too much adulation. I like this album, but I can't fucking stand that Roadside song. It sounds like I'm listening to a cheesy Staind nu-metal slow song. givemeamuseum answer is soooo good...thats exactly what I thought baxter (from chi land) was much better. Is this the greatest rise against album? no Is it still pretty damn good? HELL YEA That was deep dude. DEEP. Simply put, melodic, semi-heavy pop-punk that isn't really anything special, yet manages to sell millions of records based on some shitty acoustic song that every summer camp counselor will play at campfires. Horrible, horrible music. One of the "new wave of fucking sellouts". Punk IS dead, and now we're just raping the maggot-eaten corpse. "Huh - 4 stars. My version of the album must be different because it sure didn't sound like 4 stars to me." This band hasn't been any good since "The Unraveling" baxter (from chi land) was much better. man why do these bands bore me so much hey sickboi, i hate you... that sounds like a much much better show. it was really messed up to see rise against playing in front of 11,000 people after the years of seeing them playing in front of 100-400 people opening up for bands like the business and boy set fire for so many years Its' not rpm but its damn good. I wasnt that impressed first listen through, but it definately grew on me. Skolar- funny comment about how big they got and the weirdness involved. last christmas rise against played the local alternative radio station x-mas thing with coheed, fall out boy, 311 and I think our lady peace. there were some other bands but that doesn't matter. what I found funny was these little sorority girl types singing rise against songs, songs blatantly about revolution to their boyfriends like they were love songs. comepletely weird to witness Best Rise Against album yet, though I don't know what could have possibly compelled them to keep The Approaching Curve in there. Nearly ruins the flow of the entire album and just isn't interesting at all. Great review. I don't think it surpasses RPM, but it's still an amazing album. The Approaching Curve reminds me of a Thought Riot song on Sketches. The approaching curve is pretty lame, haha. pasha - 27/07 "Is this already out in Europe? I tried to get this today and the dickhead in the record store told me it's not gonna be out till 07/27...fuck, i need this" Its better than Siren Song, but nowhere near Revolutions. Its got some really amzing songs, but then it has some horribly bad songs. Its just so missmatched. Maybe I just need to "get used to" the bad songs, but its going to take awhile. "i havent even gotten thru the 1st go around with this and i enjoy it much more than Siren Song." i havent even gotten thru the 1st go around with this and i enjoy it much more than Siren Song. Really, really goddamn good album Am I the only one who after my initial stokedness on RPM wore off just got really bored with it (esp. the "hardcore" songs) and for that matter most of what they've done since The Unraveling? dude i picked this album up today and i've already listened to it 4 times. I think my favorite track would have to be the Prayer for the Refugee. That song kicks some serious ass. And yeah, i'll have to agree with the people who dont understand why everyone hates SirenSong. That's the cd that turned me on to Rise Against in the first place. (Even though RPM is better than it, i think this is about as good as Siren) This is the best $7.95 I've spent all day! These guys just don't do it for me anymore. I can't get into that zone, even at their heaviest and catchiest, which I do still give them credit for. Regardless of image and politics I can make the same criticisms about these guys that many can for Anti-Flag. Inspired, fast, catchy, sing-alongs, but somethings missing for me in that arena... fuck this shit. Why do I get the terrible, terrible feeling this is gonna tank? Incredibly boring. the first two songs and the last song are great. the res is really forgettable. a dissapointment. sorry tim I'm digging this album alot. Which live track does Target have? Best Buy's is Give it All. Is this already out in Europe? I tried to get this today and the dickhead in the record store told me it's not gonna be out till 07/27...fuck, i need this Target is offering a half assed live track as well. I was hoping for the b-side "built to last". But for $7.99, it's more than worth it. I got a Rise Against shirt for $2.47 (gotta love half-off clearance prices) today (at the mall of all places). Did anybody get this at Target? There's an exclusive track and I want to know what it is, if it's a totally new song or if it's some half-ass live song like Best Buy is offereing. I honestly think this is their best work yet. Huh - 4 stars. My version of the album must be different because it sure didn't sound like 4 stars to me. Rise Against Albums in order of awesomeness: This is the first whole album i've heard by this band, and it is pretty solid. Give it All is a great single, but my favorite songs would have to be Bricks and The Approaching Curve " 'roadside? what happened to the hardcore?' this score is for the cover art "Strangely, the album cover reminds me of "Paris 1919". Same colour scheme I guess. " 'roadside? what happened to the hardcore?' also anyone else hate 'The Approaching curb' as much as I do....sooo sooo cheesy great record, but i still say that Revolutions Per Minute is their best work, hands down. This is certainly better than Siren but I can't see any competition between this and RPM. another excellent review, but better than RPM??? I've had this record for a few weeks now and I can't stop listening to it. I too liked "Siren Song..." quite a bit when it first came out but after a while I'd reach for something else, usually "RPM," when I wanted to hear some Rise Against. they always bored me...they still do... I can't decide if I want to buy this or the new Johnny Cash album tomorrow... Solid improvement over Siren Song. Tracks like Good Left Undone and Prayer of the Refugee are on par with,if not better than, tracks on RPM. Who produced Siren Song? Was it GGGarth? I thought it sounded great and exactly the way it should have: a well-produced big rock album. Great album, I like it way more than Siren Song, and for the record I didn't hate that album either. I still think RPM is their best, but this one is followed closely in 2nd place for me. Well I kind of meant favorite in addition to "Blood-Red, White, and Blue" and "Halfway There" This album feels just like recycled choruses and riffs from RPM. I get tired of the veeerse CHOORRRRRUUUUUS (with baaaacking har-mo-nies) that they do on every single song. It's better that Siren Song, but that's mostly due to the production. Pretty disappointed. Hey Aubin- I actually agree with Aubin. Every song on this album display's the band's range as musician's, and the amazing vocal abilities of Tim. The screaming intermingled with his singing doesn't sound forced in the least, and they seem to finally have developed a trademark sound, as opposed to previous comparisons to a plethora of bands. "Behind Closed Doors is my new favorite Rise Against song." kingofsuck i have the unmastered version I'm one of the few people who liked "Siren Song" more than "Revolutions Per Minute"! Now, i'm tired of both albums and mainly just listen to "The Unraveling" when I'm in a Rise Against mood. I'll go out and pick this up in a minute and see what I think of it. Behind Closed Doors is my new favorite Rise Against song. I haven't heard the whole album, but the video for the single that I saw on Fuse the other night did not sound good to me, the vocals were way too slick and the instuments were nowhere near as brutal as RPM. i enjoy this, but it loses half a star because of the 2 girls that were in front of my at the cd store also purchasing this along with angels & airwaves. not what i had hoped for, its ok but seems forced-oldpunker- RPM was tolerable, but since then they've become a joke. This sounds like Bush trying to play Rage Against the Machine songs. Really disappointing stuff that won't age well at all. its good, but i disagree with aubin about it being better then revolutions. revolutions is still their best. Can I ask why most people didnt like Siren...?? excellent quitarwork, excellent vocals. the lyrics maybe aren't their best, but this is by far their best album. I mean, look at the perfectly balanced complexity of the song structures and the way the guitars are used to complement eachother, all of the songs have so many layers. awesome. this has to be a top 20 of the year.. atleast! well, im halfway through it and unlike Sirensong, which I listened to twice and threw on the 'meh' pile (by my cat, but he's always been right before), this is already a clear shot better and a keeper. Good background tunes for the summer, even for senior citizens like myself. "roadside? what happened to the hardcore?" when is the killing tree going to pry tim away long enough to write more dental plan shredding riffs? Great, great album... I see you said that this cd surpasses RPM, yet im looking at your review of RPM and you gave it a higher score. "and surpasses Siren Song" yes Great review. Strangely, the album cover reminds me of "Paris 1919". Same colour scheme I guess. great review i'll go as far as saying "The Good left Undone" is an excellent song. Is it a nice hat? Good review, and I agree for the most part. I just don't think they've outdone Revolutions Per Minute because that record is so fucking good. This band hasn't released a bad record yet, and the day they do, i'll eat my hat. Some of this is really good, some is just ok. SalsaShark, I agree with you. Also, the fact that someone was essentially kicked out of the band because of their hair has probably stuck in the back of my head and prevented me from getting into this band. I think they're a pretty good band, I've just never been as into them as a lot of people have been. I don't understand why people dig this band so much. They're alright but don't feel like anything special to me. Maybe I'll get "it" some day. This album is thoroughly excellent. This will easily be in my top 5 best of the year. also, that cover art is beautiful. i'm hoping the interior is just as nice. This band has redeemed itself in this cynical internet nerd's eyes. Great band, great album also great re view wow great overload!!! I may be the only person in the world that is actually waiting until tomorrow to get this, but I'm confident that it's going to blow me the fuck away. I think I'm the only person on this site who hasn't heard this yet. I need to get around to that soon. although i hate that "approaching curve" song, this album grew on me a ton and will probably be one of the best releases on a major this year. |
