What we got instead as a sophomore album was ‘The Sufferer & The Witness’: written in three weeks, a string of singles and the birth of the definitive melodic hardcore Rise Against sound. It’s a classic of the Bush Era punk explosion, those few magical years where punks across the USA turned their distrust of an administration going to war to prevent war into furious riffs. It’s also one of those unfortunate albums which still feels so starkly relevant now and can’t be confined to history. The impotent rage at watching the world crash down around you in a constant media cycle is so present with every turn at this hour, and the longing for the clouds to break and sunlight to shine through is the sentiment that fills so many of us in 2026. “Give me the drug, keep me alive, give me whats left of my life,” screams Tim McIlrath: he could be begging for a release from any of today’s endless political mire and that’s the quality which makes ‘The Sufferer and The Witness’ so vital. 

‘The Sufferer & The Witness’ has that incredibly rare quality in an album where every track is brilliant. There’s no filler at all. You can pick any song at random and it’ll be profound, challenging and offer you something to prick at your emotions. Take ‘Roadside’: a Neil Young intro gives way to a empty breakup duet, a song for those devoid of hope. ‘Prayer Of The Refugee’ offers up characters preaching resilience in times of desperation, giving voice to marginalised people trying to find their way through a world that places barriers at their every turn, and ‘Under The Knife’ is a shard of wanting more from existence than it can currently offer. ‘Drones’ is distilled longing for the beautiful oblivion that love and connection can provide. Every facet of chest-tightening sentiment is crammed in here, with just as much punch as the day it was written. 

It’s also one of those albums which we didn’t realise was so important until the dust had settled. Having a deep re-listen halfway through festival season 2026 feels like you’re creating a checklist: this song came out of this vocalist’s mouth in another form just last week in a dusty tent, this riff exploded with pyro on a stage an ocean away from where it was written. The Menzingers’ earnest dedication to punk purity owes so much to Rise Against, and Trash Boat’s lyrical twists owe a lot to guys from Chicago. Melodic hardcore has found its champions in A Day To Remember, but early Rise Against must have been their blueprint somewhere down the line. Could we have had half the lineups we’ve been rushing to this year without ‘The Sufferer & The Witness’? Maybe, but that’s a terrifying parallel world not worth considering. 

This re-examination is my official apology to Rise Against. I dismissed them, back in 2004, as that MTV band singing about porch swings. Call it late teenage hubris, call it misguided prejudice against the noisier end of the punk spectrum. It wasn’t until my hoodie-wearing friends sat me down and forced me to listen to ‘The Sufferer & The Witness’ – my memory is of an experience akin to the brainwashing scene in ‘A Clockwork Orange’, though with slightly more beer and fewer eyeballs involved – that I realised I was wrong and this album was a work of stained punk genius. While perhaps not everyone needed as much re-education as I did, ‘The Sufferer & The Witness’ is still here to persuade you to find your battered humanity, re-orient yourself towards your punk North Star and rise up as Rise Against would want you to. 

Kate Allvey

Ten albums into their career, Rise Against are ready for something new. To find new way to express themselves. Something fresh. They don’t want to become unrecognisable, but they do want to try something new. So they enlisted producer Catherine Marks, who has worked with St Vincent and Boygenius, not someone you might expect and that is reflected in the results; One, the band sounds absolutely energised. Two, that sound is… divisive.

Two, three or even four year album cycles, time is the advantage. The songs are always strong, they never feel rushed. This is the case here, in fact, it contains the strongest set of songs in years. It is the sound of a band refreshed and certainly the most aggressive since 2008’s ‘Appeal To Reason’ when Zak Blair joined on lead guitar, possibly ever. With its hard stops, ‘I Want It All’ is absolutely vicious, while ‘Forty Days’ is awkward, rough and one of the noisiest tracks they’ve committed to tape. The harmonic opening riff on ‘Damage Is Done’ is also wickedly propulsive and even the one time they revisit the mid-level rock sound that defines much of their recent output on ‘Us Against The World’ it absolutely seethes.

This is easily the band’s most interesting record too, while still maintaining a recognisable Rise Against sound and the electronic shuffle found on the title track is unlike anything they’ve tried before. It’s still powered by a buzzing bassline and feels familiar but offers a new approach. However, you cannot separate the songs from the way they are presented and the production does not suit the band, at all. At times, specifically on ‘Black Crown’, you understand what they’re going for; a swirly, druggy, shoegaze sound that feels extremely potent. However, a distinctive choice had been made, it’s an unusual choice but it’s also impossible to ignore, like making a delicate flavoured soup and then dumping in a bulb of garlic.

To be clear, the record does not have a ‘bad’ sound – Marks knows what she is doing – parts of it are amazing. The clean guitar tone for example is great. There are spaces for the instruments, often it’s powerful, crisp and there’s a bite to the harder songs, but it also sounds wrong. Not because melodic hardcore has to sound a certain way, but because the unconventional production does not suit the band’s rough edges. Parts of the sound are weird, making for an unpleasant overall sound. Often the songs are cluttered in strange ways and are combined with a soft, white-noisy edge. It is particularly unpleasant on ‘Sink Like A Stone’, which hisses like a busted amplifier and sounds genuinely ugly. And not, punk rock ugly either; celebrity, house on the Hollywood hills ugly. It’s a far cry from the honesty of their previous records. The question is who listened to this and thought it sounded good?

So, perhaps the best example of where things go wrong is the shimmery acoustic song ‘Gold Long Gone’ which is bathed in swirly beauty, except of course, it showcases the actual problem, Tim McIlrath’s voice sounds like crap. If you’re ever looking for the perfect title for a record ‘Ricochet’ is it. The definition is ‘a shot that rebounds off a surface’. That is exactly what is happening with the reverb smothering his voice, making him sound drunk, lackadaisical and often out of tune. It’s not auto-tuned or electronic but it has a tinny, distant, and echoey reflection that draws attention to the recording’s artifice. Now, this approach is probably ideal for an artist like St Vincent or a singer whose voice is soft enough to layer but McIlrath is presented with a strange, distant, buzzing sound that is deeply unpleasant and literally headache inducing. And, as he sits on top of the mix, you can’t avoid it.

Sure, there are people who don’t notice that voices are heavily compressed or auto-tuned or whatever but for the rest of us, it’s tinny, metallic, and sharp to the ears. If you’ve ever had a microphone feed back, it’s a similar sound. This positions ‘Ricochet’ alongside Cancer Bats’ echoey ‘Searching For Zero’ or Letlive’s hopelessly over-compressed ‘The Blackest Beautiful’ – arguably great records ruined by intrusive, unpleasant production.

You can’t separate art from when it was made, it’s impossible, which makes it interesting that Rise Against, a band’s whose name literally describes their politics, chose to release an album of acoustic covers during the first Trump administration. You’d think they would have been seething with a desire to protest. However, their subsequent record ‘Nowhere Generation’ tapped into the general malaise of the disaffected middle-American Trump voter, most notably in its references to ‘Factories’; a smart and effective approach. ‘Ricochet’ would have been conceived and written during the Biden era, a time where the status quo was improving, but the perception was of things getting worse. Hence it arrives at the right time, the music feels angry and hopeful, while being vague enough to be inclusive; the ideal place to pitch themselves.

Check out these songs live and cross your fingers, thirty three years after its original release, the Beatles released ‘Let It Be… Naked’, a version of the album without the intrusive production, we can but hope.

‘Ricochet’ exists in an uncanny valley, it’s a strong, timely record with the unpleasant, false sheen of audio Botox.

IAN KENWORTHY

]]> https://www.punktastic.com/galleries/download-festival-2025-friday/ Sun, 01 Jun 2025 13:10:08 +0000 https://www.punktastic.com/?post_type=galleries&p=238356 https://www.punktastic.com/galleries/rise-against-o2-shepherds-bush-empire/ Mon, 02 Sep 2024 14:39:54 +0000 http://www.punktastic.com/?post_type=galleries&p=236937 https://www.punktastic.com/live-reviews/live-rise-against-o2-shepherds-bush-empire/ Mon, 02 Sep 2024 14:35:10 +0000 http://www.punktastic.com/?post_type=live-reviews&p=236727 “It’s sold out…like, really sold out,” says the slightly worn steward on the stairs, dodging between torrents of eager fans in faded black t-shirts. Rise Against have been making biennial trips to these shores for a long time now, this time sprinkling two UK dates into their European festival run, and our appetite for the Fat Wreck alumni’s palatable politics grows with each visit. After twenty plus years in the punk rock music business, the lads from Chicago know exactly how to land an emotional blow in between the choppy catch-and-release melodies we love. 

Invisible magnetic pulses sweep through the earth as ‘Satellite’ rings out, its melody an instant boost calmly generated through lyrical utopia. Guitarist Zac Blair leans back and stretches, awkwardly windmilling. While Rise Against must have earned “rock star” status by now, they never seem entirely comfortable with their status as a headlining band. Later, frontman Tim McIlrath will fondly recall seeing Soundgarden legend Chris Cornell at this same venue as a child, seemingly unaware that he’s now become the same formative memory for many of the kids in the crowd. 

Someone holds up a cardboard sign, trying to catch McIlrath’s attention. It’s their eighth time seeing Rise Against on this tour, and they’ve come all the way from Aruba to make this quest. The vocalist looks puzzled for a second, then acknowledges the islanders’ dedication by sending ‘Give It All’ out to the “hardcore Rise Against fans.” Years have worn down the edges of the song’s grit but done little to a melody sweetened with sweat. In the rough, crumbling breakdown, McIlrath leans over the grasping crowd magnetically drawn to his presence and has to be held back, dying to connect to us. ‘Under The Knife’s rougher street punk feels like perpetual motion, with its triumphant loop back onto the chorus. All the songs are longer live, played with, stretched and switched around to create tiny, absorbing narratives that capture us again and again, minute by minute.

They dedicate ‘Make It Stop (September’s Children)’ to the “Pride community in and around London,” the piercing blade of the backing vocals twisting inside, revealing a deep seated hope birthed by pain that taps into and reconstitutes deeper truths. A splintering callout signals the start of ‘Re-Education (Through Labour)’, a song underlined and emboldened in scarlet and violet as the cement of the guitar line smashes into claps and a timeless solo, swooping in and out of view. ‘Help Is On The Way’s regretful tone and piercing open shriek leads into ‘Ready To Fall’s hits of despair that clutch at more, leaving behind a softness in each departing wave.

The Easter Eggs for the faithful start to be unearthed before our eyes as the show reaches the halfway point. Including an acoustic section into a punk show is practically mandatory at this point, but just because it’s become expected, doesn’t mean it’s not also a delight. McGrath introduces ‘Hero Of War’ as “a quiet song, but we can make it loud.” His encouragement is taken to heart, its clipped lines flying the flag of friendship aloft under a breeze which stirs us all into a building, swirling microcosm of everything that’s good about resistance, tangible determination poured into each line. “The people in your life are more important the weather,” he reminds us before ‘Swing Your Life Away’s beautiful windward nostalgia drifts into moments of stillness. He makes a mistake on the bridge and apologises, announcing that, “my pinkie is now bleeding,” before offering to re-do the section he felt wasn’t perfect. We didn’t even notice, enjoying the soft opening of a window into what could have been. Following with a “new song from a whole new record” (the long-rumoured tenth studio album, which the sages of the internet prophesise will arrive soon) feels like a reward. ‘Want It All’ feels more galvanising, cutting between past and future at whiplash speed, each role more evenly combined rather than given a second in the spotlight to hint at a deceptively harmonious new direction for the band. 

Not a second onstage is wasted. “This song is for the the survivors,” calls McIlrath, starting a roughly threaded connection between cities of clarions on ‘Survive’, each line a fish hook in our skin keeping us in the scene. ‘Audience Of One’ changes mood as it grows, flowering into a formally arranged tribute despite the jaggedness around the punk edges which are stirred into infinity by our desperately outstretched hands. Life is fleeting and so are life affirming cathartic songs like this. In many ways, closer ‘Saviour’ is a perfect summary for the night: a simple opening erupts into a bouncing, whirling spectacle of celebration that sends endless crowd surfers over the barriers. It also feels unfinished, like ending a sentence on an ellipsis, but that’s a positive. The band have all but confirmed there is a new album on the way, and the prevailing sense that this show is a stopgap until something bigger happens makes this little pit stop in west London a treasured pause in the irresistible climb of Rise Against.

Kate Allvey

Words: Ellie Odurny; Images: Penny Bennett

The Hara

It’s 2022, and the era of social media. Manchester trio The Hara have developed quite a following on this ever-growing space on the internet and return to Donington in 2022, having played the Pilot last year. Opening with a somewhat ostentatious entrance, the classic groove and rock beat of ‘Black Soul Ceremony’ is a bold beginning; there’s no shortage of conviction from all three members of the band, with drummer Jack Kennedy hitting the kit with as much energy as guitarist Zack Breen churns out riffs and frontman Josh Taylor commands the microphone. You get the impression that Taylor, dressed in skin tight leather trousers and braces and brandishing the mic stand as a phallus, was born to perform, but this confidence seems at times rather larger than the quality of musical output. The tunes aren’t terrible but aside from a small group of super-fans clinging to every syllable, it might take a little more work in the studio and a little less time in hair and makeup to wow the masses.

Phoxjaw

Arriving on the Dogtooth stage to the sound of the Greek guitar of Zorba’s dance, it’s apparent from the beginning that Bristol four-piece Phoxjaw relish the unexpected. Switching clunkily to the down-tuned bass and dark, anguished vocals of opener ‘You Don’t Drink a Unicorn’s Blood’, any sense of kitsch has vanished as we’re dragged into the macabre world of experimental alt-indie doom-metal. Truly genre-less, it seems like anything goes in the writing process of a Phoxjaw track, with eerie synth and reverb layered over big, thumping bass, the odd mid-song tempo change and moments of straight-up rock. The transition between tracks feels a little awkward at times, and there’s definitely some room for the band to develop their unique sound into something a little more assured and refined, but as unpredictable and fascinating bands go, Phoxjaw are leading the charge.

Rise Against

There’s a sizeable crowd gathered for politically-charged Chicago outfit Rise Against. Loved by many for their singalong punk-rock anthems of rebellion and compassion, the band open with the emotive ‘Prayer Of The Refugee’. With a ten-song set covering a variety of music from the bands’ back-catalogue along with newer releases, there’s something powerful about the number of people joining in with the calls for revolution; the sense of togetherness in the community shining through the collective voice. Somehow perfecting the marriage of punk-born anger against a corrupt system and a plethora of catchy melodies, Rise Against once again deliver a set jam-packed with immense anthems of political passion.

Baroness

Somehow, Georgia metallers Baroness seem to have pleased the gods of wind and their set on the Opus stage manages to caress the airwaves free of any major sound interference. Opening with the soaring harmonies and gigantic riffs of ‘Take My Bones Away’, they sound resplendent in the perpetual sunshine that’s been present for almost the entire weekend. Matching the gloriousness of their sound is their energy, with the whole band looking positively ecstatic to shred away the late afternoon. A headbanging Gina Gleeson adopts a classic guitar power-pose to jam with John Baizley in penultimate hit ‘Shock Me’, and you get the sense that this is one band who genuinely love performing together. This isn’t the band to start a frenzied circle pit, but if beautifully-crafted, heavy melodic rock is what you’re after, Baroness are some of the best in business to provide.

Spiritbox

Probably the most hotly anticipated set of the weekend, there’s already a multitude of bodies trying to get into the tent down at the Avalanche stage long before Canadian trio Spiritbox are due to appear. For such a grand level of expectation, ‘Circle With Me’ creeps in with a surprisingly quiet introduction but the moment the clean vocals switch to screams, the tent erupts with elation to be finally experiencing this long-awaited UK debut performance. “We’ve been waiting for this moment since March 2020 when we were supposed to play our first show in the UK”, declares vocalist Courtney LaPlante, and it’s clear from the reaction that everyone here feels the same way. The heavily distorted guitars and thrashing drums underpin excellent screaming vocals from LaPlante, although there are one or two moments where the cleaner vocals are slightly lacklustre, though the talent is there and one imagines the skill in balancing the two vocal styles will only improve with time. The three-pronged offensive of ‘Hurt You’, ‘Yellowjacket’ and biggest hit ‘Holy Roller’ send the pits into a total commotion, with nearly as many limbs in the air as on the hard-stomped ground. Closing their short set even before their allotted time is up with the gentler title track from 2021’s album ‘Eternal Blue’, Spiritbox have certainly made an impression. Judging by the sweat-soaked, starry-eyed fans drifting out into the daylight, when Spiritbox are inevitably invited back to the UK festival scene, they’ll need a bigger stage and a longer set time.

Trash Boat

British rockers Trash Boat have all but ditched any of their older, more pop-punk stylings in favour of a set taken almost entirely from their latest album ‘Don’t You Feel Amazing’. The heavier beats and catchy choruses possibly seeming more suited to the Download crowd, with a regular appearance from Wargasm’s Milkie Way going down a storm with those present. They’re not the first band over the weekend to complain about the control of mainstream media either, although this time it feels slightly mis-directed, with a quip about a fragrance with Russia in its name eliciting more than a few confused expressions around the outskirts of the tent. Odd spoken interludes aside, rousing screams of “you’re a fucking idiot” to ‘Alpha Omega’ demonstrate frontman Tobi Duncan’s ability to stimulate the crowd, and they finish the set with renewed bravado from the die-hard fans’ enthusiasm.

Korn

Korn haven’t played in the UK since 2017, and they chose their triumphant return to deliver just over an hour of their greatest hits to a hungry and grateful crowd of old metallers and Nu-metallers alike. They’ve had mixed receptions over the years, but today the sound is on point, everything is in tune and spirits seem to be high in the Korn camp. Following on from the fierceness of opener ‘Here To Stay’ are favourites ‘Got The Life’ and ‘Falling Away From Me’, and the trip down memory lane just doesn’t stop. The bagpipes make an appearance for ‘Shoots and Ladders’, and heads are banging along to the grinding bass and bendy down-tuning so characteristic of these godfathers of nu-metal. The absence of long-standing bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, who is taking some time off for personal reasons, is probably only noticed by the most ardent of fans, with the tiniest hints of a safer, less distinctive bassline growling beneath the guitars. By the time we get to the band’s first ever single, ‘Blind’, to close the set, we’ve all been reminded just how many hits Korn have produced over the past three decades, and they’ve delivered them today with confidence and style.

Yonaka

With a large number of the old guard of heavy metal fans leaving the site after Steel Panther, it’s refreshing to see a packed tent for Brighton quartet Yonaka. Vocalist Theresa Jarvis is poised to belt out the powerful ‘Ordinary’, and stragglers around the Dogtooth stage are rightfully craning their heads to see what all the fuss is about. With thumping beats and slick electronic twists, their half-hour set is a well-rounded exhibition of expertly crafted rock. Jarvis’ vocals are at times mighty, at times haunting, but always captivating, backed up by tight drums, crunchy guitars and resounding bass. Dedicating the touching ‘Call Me a Saint’ to anyone going through a tough time, there’s an evident connection between the crowd and the band, and it feels like tonight’s performance has gained a few new fans. Closing on the exultant ‘Seize the Power’, we would defy the last of the Dogtooth’s audience to leave Yonaka’s set not feeling even slightly more empowered than when they went in.

Biffy Clyro

Those remaining in the arena are a noticeably sparser crowd compared to the previous nights but that doesn’t detract from the power with which Biffy Clyro perform their closing set for Download 2022. The gentle introduction of the opening segment of ‘DumDum’ isn’t fooling anyone, and following track ‘A Hunger in Your Haunt’ from latest album ‘The Myth of the Happily Ever After’ slaps with ferocious intent, guitar licks and crashing drums ringing out across the Derbyshire countryside. Always displaying the sharpest rhythmic prowess, the breakdowns and offbeat time signatures tonight are no exception, with drummer Ben Johnston hitting every beat with precision and skill.

Foregoing the over-the-top theatrics of the previous two night’s headliners, Biffy are accompanied on stage by nothing but their instruments and a spectacular light show. This means there’s nowhere to hide and all focus in on the performance alone. For Biffy Clyro, this isn’t an issue, as they’re one of the best live bands in recent history. From the savage force of the end of ‘Bubbles’ to the heart-wrenching emotion of ‘Machines’, the set is a victorious display of musical proficiency and enough stage presence to reach the farthest depths of the campsites. They might not have had the same number of fans in attendance as Kiss or Iron Maiden but those who stayed were treated to a remarkable demonstration of what the next guard of headline-worthy acts can achieve. Mon the Biff indeed.

Tonight’s set is an entirely different atmosphere, however, as just half of the band – vocalist Tim McIlrath and guitarist Zach Blair – are here from across the pond for a stripped back, fully acoustic set in support of their (sort of) new album, ‘Nowhere Generation’. Originally due to be an in-store performance, the plans “snowballed” to lead us here tonight and we couldn’t be more delighted. 

The record was released back in June but this is the first opportunity we Brits are getting to experience the new songs in a live environment. McIlrath states simply that “this isn’t what it’s normally like” (no shit) and it really does feel strange to not feel a bead of sweat drip down your neck the whole evening. Strange but still extraordinarily special. 

As well as the intimate nature of this setting, there’s a low level of lighting that leaves the packed crowd exposed throughout, only adding the sense of community that this evening has created. This soft yet bright environment allows for everyone in attendance to see the smiles on the faces that surround them, and for McIlrath and Blair to recognise the faces of the most die hard fans. 

It’s already one of the most beautiful experiences of our lives and the music has yet to kick in. 

McIlrath’s voice feels even more powerful when only accompanied by guitars, and even the aggressive claps during ‘The Violence’ (“the only group in history that has clapped in time”) can’t drown him out. It’s during this performance as well that we’re reminded of the difference a crowd can make to a performance. After two years of watching live streams in our living rooms, we’re far too enthusiastic, clapping along a little too quickly to the bridge to the point where Rise Against change their speed to match the fans. 

This really is a collaboration between the two band members and their enthusiastic fans – in this moment not one could exist without the other, made even clearer when McIlrath admits he keeps feelings as though he’s “fucking up because the band isn’t kicking in”. We’re here to support each other and this crowd refuses to allow the acoustic nature of the show fall flat, made abundantly clear as the crowd successfully starts a mosh pit – much to the delight of the band and those watching from afar on the balconies. 

Despite being in support of ‘Nowhere Generation’, the setlist pulls from Rise Against entire discography, taking us back in time with the likes of ‘Savior’ (complete with a false start), ‘Hero of War’ and ‘Like the Angel’, before catapulting us back to the present with the likes of ‘Nowhere Generation’ and ‘Talking to Ourselves’ from their latest release. Add a cover of Danzig’s ‘Mother’ (“The version I can remember”) and an epic guitar solo for good measure, and we really do have everything we could possibly want. 

Tonight is memorable for us all, but none more so than one of the band’s longtime fans, planted firmly in the front row until he’s brought up on stage to perform ‘Everchanging’ during the encore, after McIlrath recalls with warmth the pair’s first meeting in Hyde Park years before. Blair leaves the stage at this point, allowing the fan and McIlrath to play together, keeping eye contact throughout the performance and further cementing their already strong bond.

Somehow the night’s most special moment is still to come, however, in the form of universal fan favourite, ‘Swing Life Away’. It’s here the crowd sings the loudest and the band smiles stretch widest across their faces and it’s the only way tonight could have ended. It may have been unusual and we may still be desperate for a full band performance that allows us to lose our minds but after years without Rise Against, this wholesome evening is just what the doctor ordered.

YASMIN BROWN

Not an alien concept to the band, with fan favourites ‘Swing Life Away’ and ‘Hero Of War’ keeping themselves on the band’s setlists and in fan’s ears since their release. This collection of tracks still carries the same ghostly aspect that Mcilrath’s voice echoes. With messages so relevant within beautifully orchestrated and brutally honest arrangements, there is another side to Rise Against’s songwriting that can be picked up on.

Undoubtedly one of their most popular singles, ‘Saviour’, receives a makeover that shows off the band’s Folk songwriting skills while keeping the same spirit and personality that the original brought with it. Elsewhere on this volume, the band have delved deep into their own back catalogue to make this record a much more interesting release than what a lot of other bands could do. It would’ve been very easy for them to pick their most popular tracks, give them the simple “full acoustic treatment” and release them into the world.

But Rise Against have done more than that. What Rise Against have done is give their fans songs that they have picked, their own favourites and arranged them in such a way that breathes freshness into their discography. It can be very easy for a band to sound tired with this kind of release but Rise Against have kept true to themselves and given us something that won’t just gather dust on the shelf. This is a reimagining, demonstrating the band’s ability to diversify and keep things varied throughout their career. If this is but Vol 1 of a series, then Vol 2 has a lot to live up to.

WILLIAM SCOTT