Fat Wreck are enjoying a good year so far. A slowly growing release schedule, a couple of excellent bands joining the roster and a number of critically acclaimed records have combined to make 2003 look particularly rosy for Fat Mike and his cohorts. The jewel in their collective crowns, however, must be the acquisition of Chicago’s finest melodic hardcore band, Rise Against. After releasing their debut album, ‘The Unravelling’ to rapturous applause a couple of years ago, their back with ‘Revolutions Per Minute’. And if they haven’t gone and shattered everyones misconceptions that the second album is difficult!
Bizarrely, ‘Black Masks and Gasoline’ throws a curveball in employing a NUFAN / NOFX esque riff as Tim’s vocals come into the mix. Cue momentary confused expressions all-round. But wait, fear not intrepid listener, for they haven’t lost their balls. The track soon breaks into an anthemic little number which opens the record with aplomb.
From that moment on, it’s pure gravely vocal led hardcore bliss! Tim’s soaring yet gritty singing perfectly compliments the furious drumming, pumping bass lines and shredding guitar riffage. ‘Heaven Knows’, the track posted on the FAT site, which whet the appetites of many a music lover, a couple of months ago, bristles with energy and angst, finishing on a truly inspired breakdown. ‘Last Chance Blueprint’ starts off with a bizarre sample then suddenly explodes into life, encompassing the killer sing a long chorus One last chance to go / If I don’t leave tonight, I never will / One last chance to go. ‘Torches’ beings with a wonderful grating guitar riff, stopping at an almost dreamy and introspective fill, before leaving on the same fantastic riff before you’re given chance to recognise it’s true genius.
The fact is, there isn’t one weak song on the record. The two more brutal, flat out hardcore tracks, ‘Dead Ringer’ and ‘To The Core’, sound neither forced nor out of place, and both ‘Voices Off Camera’ and ‘Broken English’ continue the theme of furious drumming, endearing lyrics and simple yet inspired guitar work. ‘Like The Angel’ is like a ballad trapped inside a hardcore song, with an almost emo chorus surrounded by chugging guitars and the chorus from ‘Halfway There’ sounds absolutely colossal.
‘Amber Changing’ finishes the record proper, but before you’re ruing the fact that you’re going to have to get up and press play again (because you will. In fact, why not put it on repeat, to save you the effort?) along comes a cheesy cover of Journey’s ‘Anyway You Want It’. A number of bands have covered this recently, but Rise Against don’t have to resort to playing it double speed, or messing about with the song structure. Mid paced, chugging hair metal played like a mid paced, chugging hardcore song! While they are clearly a very serious band, Rise Against also have a wicked sense of humour.
So, after all that, I think it’s safe to assume I love this record. I haven’t grown tired of any of the songs on here and, while some don’t quite match up to the pure exhilaration of the rest, it’s a greatly enjoyable listen from start to finish. In fact, why are you still reading this? Go and buy it before I send the hired goons round!
Ross