Rise Against

Originating amid Chicago’s thriving early-2000s hardcore environment, Rise Against coalesced as an intense U.S. punk and melodic hardcore ensemble whose sound fused caustic yet tuneful gang vocals drawn from classic punk, sharp pick slides, and fiery post-grunge melodies. The group’s underdog outlook together with outspoken advocacy for progressive causes, human rights, and animal welfare quickly endeared them to the independent scene, where their initial pair of releases on the storied San Francisco indie Fat Wreck Chords helped cultivate a fiercely loyal audience. Although some supporters questioned the 2003 move to major-label imprint Geffen, the resulting Siren Song of the Counter Culture earned gold certification while preserving the band’s raw D.I.Y. spirit. Commercial zenith arrived with fifth album Appeal to Reason, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200; subsequent efforts Endgame and The Black Market also performed robustly, each attaining gold status with Endgame later reaching platinum. In 2021 the ensemble delivered its ninth studio album, Nowhere Generation.

Rise Against took shape in 1999 after former 88 Fingers Louie bassist Joe Principe recruited local singer Tim McIlrath to launch a project steeped in the sonic and ideological traditions of old-school hardcore. Fellow 88 Fingers Louie alumnus Dan Precision joined on guitar, and drummer Brandon Barnes completed the lineup. The band signed with Fat Wreck Chords and issued The Unraveling in 2001; Precision departed the same year and Todd Mohney stepped in. After extensive road work the group recorded sophomore set Revolutions Per Minute, released in 2002. Strong notices from fans and reviewers, plus a Warped Tour appearance, paved the way for Rise Against’s exit from Fat Wreck Chords in favor of DreamWorks/Geffen. Guitar responsibilities had by then shifted to Chris Chasse, formerly of Reach the Sky.

The band’s major-label bow arrived in August 2004 with the widely praised Siren Song of the Counter Culture. Steady touring, favorable coverage, and a Billboard Top 200 entry followed. In 2005 Rise Against appeared in the skate film Lords of Dogtown as a vintage California punk outfit and contributed a vigorous rendition of Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown” to the soundtrack. The summer brought further dates, including sets at the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds festivals. Fourth album The Sufferer & the Witness surfaced in July 2006 and debuted at number ten on the Billboard Top 200, the highest placement yet. After dominating Warped Tour’s main stage that summer, the group joined Thursday and Billy Talent for fall shows. Touring continued into 2007 until the grueling schedule prompted Chasse’s departure in February; Only Crime guitarist Zach Blair filled the role on an interim basis.

Rise Against transferred to Interscope and issued Appeal to Reason in 2008, a release that introduced a more melodic direction and became their biggest commercial success to date by reaching number three on the Billboard chart. For the follow-up the musicians entered the studio with punk veteran Bill Stevenson, known for his work with Black Flag, Descendents, and All. Sixth album Endgame, certified platinum, arrived in early 2011 and included the politically pointed single “Help Is on the Way,” written after a visit to New Orleans and critical of delayed disaster relief. Long Forgotten Songs, a 2013 compilation of B-sides and covers, primed listeners for seventh studio effort The Black Market, which debuted at number three on the Billboard Top 200 upon its 2014 release.

In April 2017 Rise Against unveiled “The Violence,” the lead single from Wolves, issued via Virgin Records that May. The next year brought The Ghost Note Symphonies, Vol 1, a collection of reinterpreted earlier tracks featuring orchestral and alternate instrumentation. Career Vinyl Book, an expansive all-vinyl overview, followed in 2019. First new material in three years arrived with 2020 single “Broken Dreams, Inc.,” featured on the soundtrack to DC’s Batman comic series Dark Nights: Death Metal. That track and ten additional songs comprised ninth full-length Nowhere Generation, released in June 2021 and peaking at number four on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart.