Only two songs fall under three minutes in length, which seems about right at this point as they have slowly evolved from a band with mostly short songs to writing longer, less straightforward tunes. In some respects, The Sufferer and the Witness is faster and heavier than Siren Song of the Counter Culture, but those awesome, soaring choruses that allow Tim McIlrath to show off his vocals are still there along with the tasteful guitar solos, as always. Whereas their last album had a sound that mixed their own style established on Revolutions Per Minute with a sound more akin to Atlantic-era Bad Religion, The Sufferer and the Witness expands on it a bit, adding a noticeable increase in bass volume that gives some of the songs added kick and heaviness that was lacking a bit on Siren Song of the Counter Culture. They continue to write (mostly) fast, melodic hardcore punk that wouldn't sound out of place in Fat Wreck's catalogue. Once you've finished rejoicing over the fact that Rise Against decided not to use clip art to present their new album, you'll pop it in and notice that The Sufferer and the Witness is anything but a far cry from the rest of their material, which is a good thing. And it doesn't have shitty artwork that Siren Song of the Counter Culture did! Hooray! That said, The Sufferer and the Witness more or less starts off right where their major label debut, Siren Song of the Counter Culture ended.
Rise Against continues to prove that a major label doesn't mean shit when it comes to writing their music, which is one of the small reasons I like them so much. It's always nice when a band that exhibited incredible promise coming up through indie labels continues to show evolution without distancing themselves from their roots once they've hit major label status. So even with the occasional letdown, there's a lot to be said for Rise Against pulling everything off with as much substance and strength as they do the whole way through.Rise Against – The Sufferer and the Witness - Geffen, 2006 Essentially, The Sufferer & the Witness showcases Rise Against maturing within the realms of major-label hardcore revivalism, while still remaining relevant and exciting. The excellent "Prayer of the Refugee" jarringly alternates between plaintive guitars and weary singing to an empowered chorus and exploding rhythm section to affectingly address the plight of displaced families of war the frustrated disconnect distressing a troubled relationship is represented surprisingly well in "The Approaching Curve," with its driving use of spoken word and complementary female backing vocals. This record is basically one shout-along, mosh-worthy song after another, though the guys do throw in some interesting moments outside of continual rushes of pure adrenaline. "Injection" and "Ready to Fall" bring things back into invigorating Rise Against territory early on, while "Bricks" stands out as a vicious blast of old-school hardcore energy and power. This later happens again in songs like "Under the Knife" and the ferocious-yet-still-slightly-missing "Worth Dying For," but moments like these are, in truth, more the exception than the rule. However, "Chamber the Cartridge" doesn't quite open the record with the same acidic bite as past lead tracks, as the chorus is lacking something in its delivery to really hit a nerve. As such, Rise Against continue to muscularly confront political and personal grievances to the tune of swirling guitars, assertive rhythms, and Tim McIlrath's sandpapered vocals. With producers Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore manning the controls this time around, the band's inner grit is aptly drawn out amid all the pit-ready choruses and fist-in-the-air, stirring lyrics. After all, the band's sincerity and passion emerge very much intact - their socially conscious approach no less pressing - and new and old fans alike should take to Sufferer with open arms. Their melodic hardcore may still sound more mainstream accessible, but this can hardly be looked at as a bad thing. The Sufferer & the Witness finds Rise Against continuing on the path begun on 2004's well-received Siren Song of the Counter Culture.
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