Rise Against - Revolutions Per Minute [Fat Wreck Chords, 2002]
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Band:
Tim McIlrath - Vocals and Guitar
Joe Principe - Bass and Backing Vocals
Todd Mohney - Guitar and Backing Vocals
Brandon Barnes - Drums and Backing Vocals
Background (taken from Riseagainst.com):
Rise Against was started late 1999 by Tim McIlrath and Joe Principe in Chicago. They added drummer Brandon Barnes, then got a dude named Mr. Precision on guitar. They released their first record, "The Unraveling" in 2001, then came back with this record in 2002.
Black Masks & Gasoline:
I like this song. I like the axework, especially the bass. I love his tone. I also like Tim's lyrics. They seem to be talking about the current state of America, about all the crimes we've committed (I guess). Tim's voice has to be one of the greatest voices in punk. It's equally melodic and raw, not to mention he can throw out a good scream once in a while. It fits perfectly with the music. 8/10.
Heaven Knows:
This is the single. I first heard this on the second Atticus comp, which got me to buy this CD. This is a good song, on the same tier as "Black Masks and Gasoline". I especially like the bass slide in the second verse, which adds some more tension to the song. I also like the bridge, which slows it down a bit. The climbing guitar riff in the second half is pretty awesome, too. 8/10.
Dead Ringer:
I really like songs like this. Pounding, fast hardcore with yelling vocals and chugging guitar and pissed-off, take-no-crap lyrics. I'd never really exposed myself to hardcore until I bought this CD, and this song was one of the reasons why I looked into it more. I like how the verse riff kind of follows the vocals, and the guitar tailoff at the end of the chorus is pretty cool, too. I like the note choice by the guitars in the bridge; it brings some tension to the song. 8.5/10.
Halfway There:
I love the second half of the intro. It rules. It makes me want to jump and mosh and stuff. I also like how it tones down for the verse a teeny bit so Tim's lyrics actually sound like they're confused and lost. His lyrics seem to be talking about getting fed up with all the crap that's going on around you and finally asking questions, finally doing something. This song gets another 8/10.
Like the Angel:
Right from the getgo, this song was my favorite song on the album. That has changed, but (obviously), this song has not. It's a great, midtempo love song. It's not overdone and sappy like a lot of love songs I've heard recently, yet still remains sweet. Tim's voice seems a little too "big" for a love song, but it works well here. The riffs are good too, especially the solo in the bridge. I like the basswork, especially in the chorus. In a song like this, I would've expected the bass to stick to the roots; but Joe does a marvelous job here. This is one of the best songs on the album: 9/10.
Voices Off Camera:
This is a good song. There's not really much to say about it, because it's regular Rise Against, which means its good. I'd like to point out the second half bridge riff, however: I like that riff a lot. It is super fun to play, and it fits perfectly with the song. This is also where I wondered if Tim had any vocal training, which I suspect he did to hold his wind for the entire chorus. 7.5/10.
Blood-Red, White and Blue:
The crown jewel of this album. This is the best Rise Against song I've ever heard. From the pounding intro to the super sexy solo (reminiscent of Propagandhi, in my opinion) in the outro, this song is gold. It's fast, and features a simple yet perfect drumbeat from Brandon. Tim is really spewing vitirol on this song, as he screams lyrics such as "Would God bless a murder of the innocents? / Would God bless a war based on pride? / Would God bless a money-hungry government? / No." Ouch. Though you might not like it as much if you are against the politics of this song, everyone can agree it is one helluva performance by the band. If you hadn't guessed, this is my favorite song on the album. 10/10.
Broken English:
This is a great song, too. Very fun to play, especially the chorus. I also like the lead in the intro; it fits very well. Tim's lyrics basically speak of the world having fallen down, and everyone waiting for someone to come and lift them out of their misery. Then Tim comes in and says that we have to do this ourselves, we can't wait for someone else. Very inspirational. 8.5/10.
Last Chance Blueprint:
This is one of my favorite songs to play off of this album. It's super fast, super aggressive, and I like the sound bites, though I don't know what the first one would have anything to do with anything. The lyrics are surprisingly typical in subject matter: Tim's sick of this place and he's going to leave. However, the details in the lyrics definitely set it apart. I love the simple, hard chorus; it just rules. 8.75/10.
To the Core:
Another hardcore song in the vein of "Dead Ringer". This is just as good. More angry vocals, more sexy riffs: What else could you ask for? This is an awesome song, I give it an 8.5/10.
Torches:
Gotta love that intro. It's just great. One of the best on the album. Then how it dissipates to the verse, then shoots right back up for the chorus riff (which is genius, in my opinion) really adds to the song. I also like how it doesn't go back to quiet for the verse, but keeps the speed and loudness. The lyrics are about hope; about seeing how darkness has purged every nook and cranny of the world, yet still seeing one or two specks of light; one or two "torches". Tim's performance is consistent with every other song on the album. I love how the guitar climbs at the end of the song, too. 8/10.
Amber Changing:
Another love song, and the (supposed) closer. The lyrics are like "Like the Angel" in that they aren't overly sappy; in fact, I don't think they are sappy one bit. However, the chorus is full of love; lyrics like "No place that I'd rather be than right here, right now" kind of give that away. This is a bombshell of a song. 9/10.
Any Way You Want it:
So Rise Against decided to do a Journey cover. It was a good idea, because their rendition, though there are no real differences I can think of, is great. I would've thought Tim's voice wasn't melodic enough for this song, but lo and behold: it works extremely well. The riffs are genius and hooky, even though the band didn't write them (which you can tell, because the "single" wasn't all that hooky). The one flaw with this song is the last chorus. It goes on for too long. Simple as that. Though the guitar lead keeps it from getting too boring, I thought that it just went on too long. But, even so, 8.5/10.
Summary:
One of the best bands in punk these days. The lyrics have a general subject matter of hope, independence, and thinking for yourself and finding out the truth. Tim is an amazing vocalist, and I wish I could sound like him. I doubt they'll top this album. I give this album a final score of 5/5.
