Rise Against - Appeal to Reason

Rise Against
Appeal to Reason
DGC/Interscope
Grade: A-

As part of the swath of punk bands to sign with major labels during the mid-00s, Chicago’s Rise Against, like Against Me!, is constantly under strict-scrutiny by punk fans to measure how they veered toward pop commercial schmaltzy crap. Yet, on the band’s third major label record, Appeal to Reason, Rise Against keep the aggression and punk tight and edgy, sounding like the modern incarnation of a Midwestern Bad Religion.

Using noted punk producers they worked with before and heading to the Air Force-infused locale of Fort Collins, CO, to record Rise Against squarely reinsures their place among the top current punk bands. As a likely combination of the political environment, particularly foreign policy and the wars, much of the material on the thirteen-track Appeal to Reason is political and social in nature. And that’s only the songs that made the record. In a different norm than usual, the band wrote a truckload of songs in studio and picked among the best for the record; instead of developing only a set number tracks known exactly to fit the record. The song that mostly directly makes this connection is the acoustic “Hero of War,” which can be painfully awkward if not in the right state of acceptance.

Most folks aren’t going to hit up “Hero of War” as the go-to-track on Appeal to Reason. Instead, you are immediately bombarded by the hard-hitting Bad Religion-infused “Collapse (Post-Amerika),” which pumps up your heart beat and readies you for the rest. “Long Forgotten Sons” utilizes a more broken-down approach that only builds up on the choruses, while “Re-Education (Through Labor)” serves as the album’s first single. The song contains the requisite sections of choruses, verses, and melody, but for my money I would have unleashed the hell-bender “The Dirt Whispered” as the first single from Appeal to Reason. “The Dirt Whispered” has a more indie and favorite local band sound to it; one that sticks in your ears, choruses that you sing loud, and when Rise Against breaks it down it soars in awesomeness. “Kotov Syndrome” pushes forth in standard form, but is saved by a phenomenal guitar breakdown two minutes in and an unique closing that makes you hit repeat. Taken together “The Dirt Whispered” and “Kotov Syndrome” makes the record great. “From Heads Unworthy” and “The Strength To Go On” pale comparison, while “Audience of One” redeems the album with a solid, melodic chorus. The following “Entertainment” isn’t so much and “Savior” begins as if Rise Against are channeling for Chicagoans Alkaline Trio. Appeal to Reason closes on the similar “Hairline Fracture” and “Whereabouts Unknown” – two hard-hitting though not necessarily special songs.

Rise Against maintains their status as one of the best in the business with Appeal to Reason. Again, look to “The Dirt Whispered” and “Kotov Syndrome” to take the album to the next level.