Rise Against have posted a status update on their follow–up to 2006's highly acclaimed The Sufferer & the Witness:

Presently we are writing and demo–ing for what will become our next record. Don't expect it too soon, we're just getting started early. We will bring the details as they come, we just wanted to check in and say thanks to everyone for another awesome year."

The new record is expected to surface this summer/fall and will also be their first with current guitarist Zach Blair, who replaced former member Chris Chasee earlier last year during The Sufferer and the Witness tour.

Prior to the new record, Rise Against will be releasing a new digital EP compiling five rare tracks. The EP is titled This Is Noise and is due out January 15, 2008. It includes three cover versions and two original tracks.