“This is noise,” speaks a disembodied overtone. This is the point of no return. Rise Against has gripped you into the iron fist of
The Sufferer and the Witness, a full frontal assault on anyone who listens. The catchy melodic hooks, throat shredding screams, and unforgettable riffs are a mirage over the soul-wrenching and heartbreaking stories the songs tell.
Sufferer rocks ‘til it hurts through its tales of liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness. This isn’t just a political statement given its “coincidental” release date. 2006 was the summer of Rise Against; an unapologetic punk outfit armed with attitude and fueled with passion.
Under new production from Bill Stevenson, Rise Against struck a winning formula by integrating their usual aggressive style with a radio friendly outlook. The goal was to strike a more “mature sound” while maintaining a deeper meaning to their emotional lyrics. This was done to emphasize the impact of the belted lyrics. Honestly, this is executed perfectly. Think of how much more impactful, “Guide me through uncharted waters before I lose myself again. Will you be my compass until forever – until forever – until forever ends,” sounds when McIlrath screeches the lines during the bridge?
The heart and soul of
The Sufferer… is ‘Worth Dying For.’ Tells the story of a subject who’s fought for their dream. All of the progress they’ve made has regressed and all of the love has turned into hate. They can’t bear to turn a blind eye anymore, so they strive to solve this by themselves. The subject is tired of watching their hateful and destructive environment suffer, so they plead to the world to give them something worth dying for. The subject is tired of seeing their work go in vain, and with a tired and humble voice, ask not to find a new inspiration or goal to live for, rather, something to die for. Can you help them?
Questions like these are what the album asks. What would you die for? Why do we turn a blind eye? Why don’t we strive for change? Instead of telling listeners what to think, the album places them in the subject’s shoes and lets them think for themselves. That’s how the meaning of the record takes shape. What would we, the listeners, do if we witnessed suffering? This motivation strives
The Sufferer and the Witness to build the lasting impact it currently carries. That brief sense of self-awareness listeners achieve while listening to
Sufferer is magical.
‘Prayer of the Refugee’ turns the tables on its listeners; *we* are now the villains of this story. ‘…Refugee’ regards how immigrants are striving for independence. They don’t want to be pitied or exploited for their living situations. All they ask for is to be treated equally by all parties. Tired of assimilation and discrimination, they stand their ground and revolt. “Don’t hold me up now, I can stand my own ground. I don’t need your help, now, you’ll let me down, down, down,” drives the track to greatness in one of Rise Against’s most memorable choruses.
Suffering is explored socially as well. ‘Roadside’ asks what listeners would do if we noticed our relationship suffering. In exchange for their up-tempo anthems and pounding guitars, Rise Against gains a string orchestra and Emily Schambra. ‘Roadside’ as an atmospheric tale about a suffering relationship. “Tell how I’m supposed to feel when all these nightmares become real,” shows how the subject came to the realization his relationship was starting to suffer. “So leave me at the roadside, and hang me up and out to dry,” is how both don’t want to watch each other suffer and end the relationship quickly. No looking back, no regrets, simply forgetting each other is better than feeling at all.
Rise Against takes time to experiment throughout the record. ‘Roadside,’ ‘The Approaching Curve,’ and ‘Bricks’ toy with different deliveries and formulas. Upon acquiring Zach Blair, Rise Against’s music game took a big step forward. Blair’s distinctive riffs and double time tempos shredded the airwaves with a nonstop attack of rhythms and leads. ‘The Good Left Undone’ is a prime example to how Blair’s melodic approach can quickly turn sour in a fraction of a second. What starts as a catchy octave melody transforms into a thumping percussive mess. ‘Injection’ utilizes the double-time speed Blair is known for in its leading riff. The intensity of the song climbs through the pre-chorus before its melodic relief arrives.
2006 was crowded by albums like
The Black Parade,
10,000 Days, and
Stadium Arcadium. Through the noise,
The Sufferer and the Wintess made its voice loud and clear as one of the defining records of the year. Some would go as far as to deem
Sufferer as Rise Against’s best effort. To be honest, I’m completely fine with that.
Sufferer is a general flavor of what Rise Against has to offer. It’s not as heavy as its predecessors but it doesn’t have to be. The record stands on its own two feet as a passionate, introspective, and contemplative journey through different variations of suffering. Rise Against made more than just noise: they made a statement. One that would last for years to come.
Standout Tracks
The Good Left Undone
Injection
Behind Closed Doors
Worth Dying For
{
The entire album}
