Review: Rise Against – The Sufferer and the Witness

A review of Rise Against’s 2006 album The Sufferer and the Witness.

Artist Name: Rise Against
Album Name: The Sufferer and the Witness
Year: 2006
Genre: Hardcore Punk

The Chicago political punks fourth release doesn’t disappoint. What I originally loved about Rise Against is the fact that they can blend aggressive music with melody, and this album is just that continuation and affirmation. Even though the album is perhaps less heavier than Siren Songs of the Counter Culture, it still possess enough melancholic onslaught to propel the band to the forefront of hardcore punk. Basically, Rise Against are The Offspring on steroids!

Tim McIlrath has to be one of the best lyricists in hardcore/punk. The imagery he creates is vivid and haunting at the same time. But I truly believe it has to be the raw emotion in his voice and delivery that set this band apart from others. He makes you feel what he is feeling, whether it’s about politics, war or love. Like this one reviewer stated a while back, ‘McIlrath writes the kind of lyrics you wish you had thought of’.

No one can ever point fingers at Rise Against, saying they don’t know how to play their instruments. From the sheer blasting of Brandon Barnes’ drums to the seriously addictive guitar licks of Chris Chasse, this album exudes talent. The sound is also very reminiscent to that of old-school punk legends, Bad Religion (fast, aggressive, melodic and political).

I don’t believe this album has any real weaknesses, every song is solid and there are some really tremendous songs like ‘Injection’, ‘Ready to Fall’, ‘Prayer of the Refugee’ and ‘Worth Dying For’. Some editions even come with four extra bonus tracks, so overall you are getting 17 tracks! I truly recommend it to anyone who says punk is dead.

Best Tracks: ‘Injection’, ‘Ready to Fall’, and ‘Prayer of the Refugee’

80/100

- Frankie Styxx
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