In 2008, political punk rock band Rise Against shook the industry with an album full of grit, grandiosity, and powerful themes. That album was Appeal To Reason, causing the Chicago act to soar up the pecking order. Their album was a record that hit more of a commercial nerve, but was still honed and created with care and thought.
When it hit, many thought Rise Against’s tighter sound suited them, as past records had a rawness the band was renowned for. The shift in direction and reworked sound bolstered with lyrics that railed against the grain, making Rise Against a household name and finally putting them on the map.
The punk outfit didn’t care about commercial success. All they wanted to do was deliver an album that provoked responses from the hierarchy and the public alike. The band did get these responses from the faithful that were there from the beginning; the fans that totally tuned into what was forming.
Appeal To Reason’s polished sound didn’t overly fabricate. It worked so well and the record became this juggernaut and inspiration, giving people who felt voiceless a chance to speak out about war and the world. The record was political too. There’s no doubting that, but it was one that mattered.
Those guitar lines were expertly programmed, studded in with those empowering lyrics and narrative spin. Rise Against didn’t want to release a record which only reverberated in terms of musical styles and structures, they wanted to tell a diverse and in-depth fable. With this album, they did just that.
The songs that stood out were Re-Education (Through Labor) which sprung open with electrifying riffs and powerful messages, and Saviour, which conveyed love being a forgotten trend. Audience Of One also became a hit, a song that carried a heavy narrative regarding war and how it pulverised lives and nations.
Rise Against used their talents convincingly, rallying causes and breaking boundaries with Appeal To Reason; a novel-like compendium with music that is just as sublime.
You can check out more of our music reviews here