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User
Reviews 1
Approval 83%
Soundoffs 89
Album Ratings 1141
Objectivity 76%
Last Active 09-12-21 11:15 am
Joined 01-31-15
Review Comments 10,426
| Ranking Rise Against
These guys where MY SHIT in my high school years. There were weeks when I didn't listen to anything else. Ranking them is more than overdue. | | 8 |  | Rise Against
Wolves
Yea, this one was pretty weak. It's got all the RA trademarks, but the bands seems pretty burned out at this point. The t/t is very good, House on Fire is decent, as well as the last 4 songs. Especially the poppy Mourning in Amerika suits them well. Welcome To The Breakdown is fun as well, but for some reason the heaviness on this album feels a little forced. The production isn't that great as well. Far From Perfect might be one of their worst songs. In fact the whole run from track 5 to track 7 is pretty lame.
Overall there is some stuff to like, but it isn't enough to be satisfied as a fan. I'd be okay with them doing poppy, but inspired songs like Mourning in Amerika instead.
Best track: Mourning In Amerika
Worst track. Far From Perfect (seriously, fuck this track) | | 7 |  | Rise Against
Endgame
Endgame is a collection of midtempo anthems with some great hooks. It's quite samey in this regard and that's it's biggest problem. The album is missing an arc, something to make it more dynamic. Single songs are pretty great tbh, like Architects, Make it Stop, Survivor Guilt, This is Letting Go etc., even though some riffs are kinda lame. The album succeeds when it strays from the formula a bit and fails when it sticks too much to it. That formula was great, but it got stale.
Best track: This Is Letting Go
Worst Track: Help Is On The Way | | 6 |  | Rise Against
Appeal to Reason
Rise Against had a formula for quite some time now and most songs stick to it. It worked for 3 or 4 albums, because the band managed to give the albums some punky energy and just enough variety to make things interesting.
Appeal To Reason is the album where they couldn't keep this going like they used to. Punk rock is the music of youth. But once the youthful energy is gone (or the singer destoryed their voice, like in most cases) they're just a shadow of their older selves. This is the album where RA lost that energy. They still had enough creativity to make a somewhat diverse album, but it's the first time where I thought one of their albums dragged. But, as always, many quality tracks here.
Best track: Savior
Worst track: Re-Education (rather boring) or Hero of War (quite nice, but also quite awkward) | | 5 |  | Rise Against
The Black Market
This might be a bit controversial, but imo TBM is their best post Sufferer album. It got some of the energy back and is pretty diverse. It's more of an alt rock album than a punk rock record, so comparisons to Foo Fighters are kinda justified, but it's some passionate alt rock with good songwriting. The washed out production also works in the album's favor, because it helps creating cohesive, unified vibe running through the whole album. Sure, tracks like I Don't Want To Be Here Anymore or Awake Too Long are pretty generic, but because the album works a whole I don't mind them at all. TBM is basically like an album in the vein of This is Letting Go and imo that's the direction the band should go. To be perfectly honest I love this album with my whole heart, even though the top 4 is definetly stronger
Best track: Tragedy + Time, The Black Market, The Eco-Terorist In Me, Methadone, Zero Visibility, People Live Here, Bridges
Worst track: Awake Too Long | | 4 |  | Rise Against
The Unraveling
Raw and unrefined, but passionate, catchy and melodic. It's a charming debut and there was a time when this was my go to record when I didn't know what to listen to. Some of this doesn't sound like RA at all, because it was written for 88 Fingers Louie, but who cares? RA sticked too much to their formula, anything differing from it is welcome as along as it kicks ass.
Best track: Everchanging
Worst track: 3 Day Weekend | | 3 |  | Rise Against
The Sufferer and the Witness
The top 3, huh? There are good reasons for any of these albums to be 1 tbh. I have to make decisions here, but at this point it’s really just about preference.
The Sufferer was RA’s big breakthrough, but at the same time it’s kind oft he beginning of the end. I like to look at it as a transitional album, RA going from being a melodic hardcore band to being an alt rock band. It’s a very dark, angsty and fast paced album, but filled with very accessable songs that got a lot of air play. It’s also their most experimental album featuring a spoken word verse in The Approaching Curve and a short instrumental at the end of The Good Left Undone. The way it ends on an uplifting note with Survive is also way to finish such a bleak record. Simply amazing, all killer no filler.
Best track: The Good Left Undone
Worst track: Do I really have to do this? Uh, fine! Under The Knife, I guess. | | 2 |  | Rise Against
Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Their major label debut. It starts off pretty brutal with State oft he Union and tbh I didn’t like this track back then when I listened to this fort he first time. It was when I still wasn’t into screamed vocals except when they were very few and far between. But oh boy, that song changed me over time. It made me appreciate harsh vox and was a gateway to heavier music for me. Also that galloping groove and how the song slows down at the end … brilliant. This album is like a musically brighter and more matured version of Revelutions Per Minute and it’s just so satisfying. It’s rougher than everything they did after this and I wish they kept this rawness a little longer.
Also Swing Life Away is their best ballad. Just saying.
Best track: Swing Life Away
Worst track: Oof, no idea. The First Drop? | | 1 |  | Rise Against
Revolutions per Minute
RPM is 1 for me. I had to think about this a little, but it just makes sense. It’s really angsty (Heaven Knows), but also some brighter moments (Like The Angel). Todd was their best guitarist, just listen to the solo at the end of Blood Red, White & Blue or the one in Like The Angel. They fit the song perfectly and enhance the experience. This record has everything you would want from RA (except for a ballad, but needs a ballad when there is angst to the max?), even some kinda metal (Torches) and the band in hardcore berserk mode (To The Core, Dead Ringer) and a fucking Journey cover as a bonus track. It’s the ultimate RA experience tbh, even more mature albums like Siren Song aren’t as complete. Amazing.
Best track: Heaven Knows
Worst track: - | |
kalkwiese
04.05.20 | It was about time I did this lul. Haven't listened to this band in ages though. | Storm In A Teacup
04.05.20 | Top 3 are the top 3 yes. Bottom 2 are the bottom 2 yes. | Pikazilla
04.05.20 | 3 is 1 agreed | Storm In A Teacup
04.05.20 | 3 is 1 agreed (2) | parksungjoon
04.05.20 | swap 3 and 2
ive only heard black market once but theres no way its better than appeal to reason | kalkwiese
04.05.20 | "3 is 1 agreed"
Tbh I kind of agree on that lol | JohnnyoftheWell
04.05.20 | Under the Knife is top 5 Rise Against how dare u
2 is my 1, but that and 3 are both great jams | joshieboy
04.05.20 | Sufferer at 1 for me, but the rest l can't argue with | dedex
04.05.20 | 3 is 1 agreed [3]
Top 3 was the shit in high school that's fosho | Sinternet
04.05.20 | 3 is 1 agreed [100000000]
but tbf i love all the top 3 so much.
literally only thing I disagree with here is re-education in worst tracks for appeal, one of my top picks there (entertainment as well, and audience of one)
nice job giving some love to tbm i think it's in the right spot | Uzumaki
04.05.20 | 3 is 1 agreed [5]. | Sinternet
04.05.20 | oh also life less frightening off 2 is top 3 RA songs | Rowan5215
04.05.20 | how u not gonna pick Rumors of My Demise... as the best song from that album when it's the best in their discog | JohnnyoftheWell
04.05.20 | Rumors of My Demise slaps, defs top 3 on Siren Song | Minushuman24
04.05.20 | 5 would way further down for me, but this list is tight | dctarga
04.05.20 | Nah 1 is 1 you got it right, top 4 are really the only ones that matter anyway. That Journey cover slaps | kalkwiese
04.06.20 | "ive only heard black market once but theres no way its better than appeal to reason"
It isn't as catchy as AtR, so I get why one listen isn't enough
"Under the Knife is top 5 Rise Against how dare u"
Yea, right? I didn't want to pick any of these songs tbh.
"Top 3 was the shit in high school that's fosho"
So much omg. Good times even though they weren't really good, but idk hahaha
"literally only thing I disagree with here is re-education in worst tracks for appeal, one of my top picks there (entertainment as well, and audience of one)"
Idk man, I always though Re-Education was lacking a bit. Some decent energy, a good riff. Maybe it's a tad too slow imo? Maybe the verse melody isn't interesting enough for me? Idk.
"nice job giving some love to tbm i think it's in the right spot"
Thanks man, I feel quite alone with my opinion most of the time tbh.
"oh also life less frightening off 2 is top 3 RA songs"
Blood To Bleed though!
"how u not gonna pick Rumors of My Demise... as the best song from that album when it's the best in their discog"
It triggered you just enough to write a comment so my secret plan worked out, muhahaha
"5 would way further down for me, but this list is tight"
Thanks man!
"Nah 1 is 1 you got it right, top 4 are really the only ones that matter anyway. That Journey cover slaps"
1 to 5 are all go to albums imo though. It's such a brilliant move to put a Journey cover at the end of such a dark album. It's perfect | kalkwiese
04.08.20 | I listened to Wolves again these days and tbh it's a lot better than people say, it's just inconsistent and more of the same in too many ways. Thinking about swapping it with Endgame tbh | onionbubs
04.08.20 | i'd disagree w the statement that wolves is inconsistent, rather its too consistently middle of the road. still probably like it more than black market bc it doesnt have the awful awful songs black market has, tho it also doesnt have eco terrorist which is more inspired sounding than all of wolves
endgame's not amazing but architects is easily my favorite post appeal song of theirs and it's got a handful of other pretty good ones | kalkwiese
04.08.20 | The songs on TBM are great, idk what you mean.
Endgame has its high points though and that's why it isn't last in my list. See, I'm a fan and I like all these albums.
Eco Terrorist is such a massive jam, it's up their with their very very best songs | onionbubs
04.08.20 | i used to like them all but eventually the later ones started to grow off me. really tried to get into wolves when it came out and i dont rlly think any of it is bad but its definitely the flattest theyve ever sounded. i remember being so annoyed the first time i heard the violence since its like the most stock rise against song ever. house on fire mourning in amerika and miracle are alright i guess, but still lower than any of the other albums high points
on the other hand black market has a lot of songs i really dont like (i dont wanna be here anymore, zero visibility, t/t, tragedy) but a look back through the tracklist and its got its moments. methadone and awake too long are pretty good. people live here is great too | kalkwiese
04.08.20 | I'm surprised you liked Awake Too Long tbh, I always thought that's a weaker one | onionbubs
04.08.20 | i think its bc all the songs i cant get into off of it are the ones that push their sound into weird directions that (imo) they cant pull off too well, so its kind of refreshing to just hear a quick banger
i should do a discog revisit for them soon its been a bit. will always have a soft spot for when i counted all their pickslides back when wolves came out lmao | kalkwiese
04.08.20 | Interesting, that's what I like about TBM tbh. It isn't just more of the same.
The pick slides list was hilarious holy shit. Loved that project! | onionbubs
04.08.20 | black market is so frustrating to me bc on paper its what id want them to do since if theres ANY band who's fallen into repetition and needs to deviate it's them, but the execution of all of the ideas just sounded lame and buttrocky to me most of the time. idk maybe thatll change the next time i listen to it but i dont think its an album for me
yea that was such a funny ass list to make even if it did make me start hearing imaginary pickslides in everything non ra i listened to after it was done lmao |
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