Rise Against's Studio Albums To Be Collected In Career-Spanning Vinyl Box Set on November 30 via Interscope/UMe

I honestly don’t know how well documented this is, but I am a pretty big Rise Against fan. Although I’ve never seen them in concert, I love their music. I am especially fascinated with their deep, driven, meaningful lyrics. And the hard rocking music that backs those lyrics up is pretty fabulous as well.

This November, their entire catalog is going to be available in one awesome vinyl box set. Here’s the press release with all the details:

Since forming in Chicago in 1999, Rise Against has inspired generations of punk and rock fans with its firey and anthemic brand of melodic hardcore punk. Using their international platform to speak out for social justice, Rise Against’s rousing lyrics address progressive political issues like economic injustice, animal rights and homophobia. The band’s music and message remains as vital as ever.

On November 30, Rise Against’s body of work will be collected in the career-spanning self-titled vinyl box set Rise Against via Interscope/UMe. The comprehensive collection will feature 180-gram black vinyl pressings of all eight of Rise Against’s studio albums, including their three Gold-certified albums Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004), The Sufferer & the Witness (2006), and Appeal to Reason (2008). In addition, a limited edition 180-gram clear vinyl version will be sold at RiseAgainst.com. Both versions include a unique book featuring exclusive photos and an oral history made up of interviews from the band detailing their rise from the fertile Chicago punk underground to the international stage, offering insights into their revered discography. Pre-order Rise Against now: https://UMe.lnk.to/RiseAgainstBoxPR

“Eighteen years and eight records later, the story of Rise Against is best told with the music,” says frontman Tim McIlrath. “Each song on each record was a handcrafted stepping stone that took us far beyond any expectations we ever had and surpassed any goal we ever set. These albums connected with, and introduced us to, a die-hard fanbase we feel unworthy of. Whether it was Blasting Room production on most of these albums or the Shepard Fairey artwork for Siren Song Of The Counterculture, the devil is in the details. Each record here tells our story and represents a snapshot of where we were and who we were at the time, maybe it does the same for you.”

Rise Against formed in 1999 by bassist Joe Principe and vocalist/guitarist Tim McIlrath and quickly released two albums – The Unraveling and Revolutions Per Minute – on legendary San Francisco independent punk label Fat Wreck Chords. The band toured relentlessly, including dates on the Warped Tour, and rapidly built a devoted underground, with Exclaim calling them “the hardcore salvation we've all been waiting for.”

While their second album Revolutions Per Minute (2003) had Pop Matters declaring that the band was already at, “its peak in songwriting, performing, and energy,” the band’s success and acclaim continued to grow after they signed to Geffen in 2003. Rise Against’s first major label album, Siren Song of the Counter Culture was certified Gold in the United States. In a review of the album, Punk News credits the band with popularizing melodic hardcore music and influencing "literally thousands of bands.”

Rise Against continued to inspire transgressive rock fans seeking hope and catharsis during the Bush presidency and, with the release of their fourth album The Sufferer and the Witness, which also went Gold, The AV Club exclaimed, “no other band plays this style as compellingly.”

In 2008, Rise Against hit their commercial peak with their fifth full-length Appeal to Reason, which melded their driving melodic hardcore with scathing lyrics about the Iraq War and the Bush administration. The album hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Canadian Albums Chart and the single "Savior" charted for over 60 weeks, setting the record for the most consecutive weeks spent on both the Hot Rock Songs and Modern Rock Tracks charts.

Their following two albums showed the band maturing while winning new fans with their combustible energy and conviction. Endgame (2011) and The Black Market (2014), both broke into the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 album chart. Of Endgame, Rolling Stone enthused, “Rise Against’s mastery of anthemic punk rock is second only to their mastery of being pissed off,” adding, On the Chicago band’s sixth album, Tim McIlrath is an ‘orphan of the American dream,’ heraldically ranting about environmental collapse, economic inequality, teen suicide and other unanswerable evils atop the mix of Bad Religion hardcore, metal-guitar action and modern-rock balladry that’s evolved into a platinum-plated formula.”

Meanwhile, Kerrang praised The Black Market as a “magnificent wakeup call,” and Alternative Press hailed the songs’ “visceral emotion.”

The box set concludes with Rise Against’s most recent album, 2017’s Wolves. The band’s fifth straight top 10 album, it was recorded as a response to the Trump administration and the overall contemporary political climate, written with the intent to inspire during a dark time. Recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz, their first album in over a decade without Bill Stevenson at the helm continues their mission to speak truth to power. According to McIlrath, the title Wolves refers to “being wolves at the gate, being angry at authority, being angry at the direction of the country and the world, and fighting back.” Testament to their galvanizing and powerful message, it debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative, Top Rock and Hard Rock albums charts.

With the news reporting on a new injustice every day, the time is high for a cathartic blast of catchy, outraged punk rock music. Long-running Rise Against fans will jump at the opportunity to rediscover their favorite band while new fans will dial right in to the timelessness of the band’s message and music with this inspiring vinyl collection of all of Rise Against’s studio albums.

Rise Against Track Listing

The Unraveling

SIDE A

1. Alive and Well
2. My Life Inside Your Heart   
3. Great Awakening
4. Six Ways 'Til Sunday   
5. 401 Kill   
6. The Art of Losing

7. Remains of Summer Memories   
8. The Unraveling   

SIDE B
1. Reception Fades   
2. Stained Glass and Marble   
3. Everchanging   
4. Sometimes Selling Out Is Giving Up   
5. 3 Day Weekend   
6. 1000 Good Intentions   
7. Weight of Time   
8. Faint Resemblance

Revolutions Per Minute

SIDE A

1. Black Masks & Gasoline
2. Heaven Knows   
3. Dead Ringer
4. Halfway There   
5. Like the Angel   
6. Voices Off Camera:   

SIDE B
1. Blood-Red, White, & Blue   
2. Broken English   
3. Last Chance Blueprint   
4. To the Core   
5. Torches   
6. Amber Changing
7. Any Way You Want It

Siren Song of the Counter Culture

SIDE A

1. State of the Union   
2. The First Drop   
3. Life Less Frightening
4. Paper Wings
5. Blood to Bleed   
6. To Them These Streets Belong
 

SIDE B

1. Tip the Scales
2. Anywhere But Here
3. Give It All   
4. Dancing for Rain   
5. Swing Life Away   
6. Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

The Sufferer & The Witness

SIDE A

1. Chamber the Cartridge
2. Injection
3. Ready to Fall   
4. Bricks
5. Under the Knife
6. Prayer of the Refugee

7. Drones   

SIDE B

1. The Approaching Curve   
2. Worth Dying For   
3. Behind Closed Doors   
4. Roadside   
5. The Good Left Undone   
6. Survive

7. But Tonight We Dance

Appeal To Reason

SIDE A

1. Collapse (Post-Amerika)   
2. Long Forgotten Sons   
3. Re-Education (Through Labor)   
4. The Dirt Whispered   
5. Kotov Syndrome   
6. From Heads Unworthy   

7. The Strength To Go On

SIDE B
1. Audience of One   
2. Entertainment   
3. Hero of War   
4. Savior   
5. Hairline Fracture   
6. Whereabouts Unknown

Endgame

SIDE A

1. Architects   
2. Help Is on the Way
3. Make It Stop (September's Children)   
4. Disparity By Design
5. Satellite
6. Midnight Hands   

SIDE B
1. Survivor Guilt   
2. Broken Mirrors
3. Wait for Me
4. A Gentlemen's Coup   
5. This Is Letting Go   
6. Endgame

The Black Market

SIDE A

1. The Great Die-Off
2. I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore   
3. Tragedy + Time   
4. The Black Market
5. The Eco-Terrorist in Me   
6. Sudden Life

SIDE B
1. A Beautiful Indifference   
2. Methadone
3. Zero Visibility   
4. Awake Too Long   
5. People Live Here   
6. Bridges

Wolves

SIDE A

1. Wolves   
2. House on Fire   
3. The Violence   
4. Welcome To The Breakdown
5. Far from Perfect   
6. Bullshit

SIDE B
1. Politics of Love   
2. Parts Per Million
3. Mourning in Amerika   
4. How Many Walls   

5. Miracle

What's The Guru Listening To? - August Edition

Welcome to the August Edition of What’s the Guru Listening To? I get asked this question a lot. What am I currently enjoying and what would I recommend? And since time is severely limited these days, it gets harder and harder to post a full review of the outstanding music that I am discovering (or re-discovering). Therefore, every month I will fill you in on the latest song, album, and/or band that I am obsessed with.

Here's what The Guru is listening to this month:

Imagine Dragons – Evolve

The latest record from Imagine Dragons is as spectacular as their first two releases. This band continues to make exceptional music that is enjoyed by the masses. And while I like all the songs on the disc, my two favorite standouts are “Rise Up” and “Yesterday.” Both are wonderful and showcase what Imagine Dragons can do when crafting and recording. And while not all critics loved the record (Rolling Stone and The Guardian gave it two stars), they should have. Just because a band goes in a different direction critics are quick to write them off without listening to the new sounds thoroughly. A wise person would ignore the mainstream media and form their own opinion. However, if you’re on the fence about investing a lot of time in this record, I can tell you that it is time well spent. This is the third consecutive terrific album from Imagine Dragons.

KC & The Sunshine Band – Please Don’t Go

A classic song, “Please Don’t Go” by K.C. and The Sunshine Band is one of the all-time greatest ballads ever recorded. Every now and again I find myself going back to great songs that I’ve loved over the years. I’ll find an amazing one and listen to it several times through before I move on to some other song. This month the song happens to be “Please Don’t Go.” If you don’t know this song, or if you’ve just not heard it a long time, I recommend that you give it a whirl and bring it back into your life.

The Revivalists – Man Amongst Mountains

Admittedly, sometimes I’m late to the party with certain bands. Such is the case with The Revivalists a band that I should have recognized a heck of lot sooner than this summer. Their latest record, Man Amongst Mountains has been out for two years and I am only really appreciating it now. I first heard The Revivalists on an alternative station through Amazon Music. “Wish I Knew You” played through my speakers and I stopped immediately. I jotted down the artist and song and then sought out more of their music. That led me to their magnificent album “Man Amongst Mountains” which I’ve been playing ever since. If you like your music to be different but extremely entertaining, you will like The Revivalists. They are a talented 7-piece band complete with a horn section. You can see a lot of influences from bands like O.A.R. and Dave Matthews Band in their art. Their sound is well polished, well executed, and well worth your time.

Black Eyes Peas – Let’s Get It Started

I haven’t listened to this song in years. However, a recent viewing of the movie Hot Tub Time Machine reminded me how great a track “Let’s Get It Started” is and now I find myself playing it at least once a day. When this song first came out, I couldn’t get enough of it. The strength of this song was the reason I purchased the entire album and I was glad that I did. For a few months I listened to Elephunk nonstop. It was a terrific album full of fun songs that had great beats. It’s been nice to revisit a piece of this record and listen to “Let’s Get It Started” over and over and over again.

Rise Against – Wolves

I’ve been a fan of Rise Against for numerous years now and I was excited to hear their latest disc, Wolves. As expected, the record did not disappoint. Wolves delivers the sound and style of music that fans have grown accustom to with Rise Against. Pop punk rock and all the beauty that the music has to offer can be heard on every song throughout the record. And while the record was released earlier this summer (June) I haven’t had a chance to really kick back and dive into it until it recently. I’m certainly glad that I took the time to enjoy it, because Wolves is another fantastic album from this fantastic band.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Deftones And Rise Against Announce Summer Tour

Tickets go on sale Friday, 2/10. Get some!

A Quick Review Of Some Of The Best Summer Releases For 2014

This past summer saw a lot of quality music being released. And while I wanted to provide in-depth reviews on all of the new music that came out, summer got away from me. By the time I caught up, it was October. Rather than sweep these releases under the rug and/or ignore their very existence, I thought a better approach would be to provide quick reviews instead. Here’s my quick take on some of the biggest and best releases this summer.

Ace Frehley – Space Invader 

Blown away! Those were the first two words to enter my mind after completing my first listen of Ace Frehley’s latest disc, Space Invader. Between the exceptional guitar work, hard rocking sound, and overall “old school” feel of the record, I was extremely content.

Admittedly, I was not a huge fan of Ace’s previous release Anomaly, so my expectations for this record were not very high. I enjoyed Anomaly when it was first released, but the album just didn’t have staying power with me. However, Ace’s hard work and dedication to Space Invader really paid off. And no one is happier about that than me. (All right, there are probably a lot of people happier about it – but I’m still pretty damned happy). As a lifelong Kiss fan, I want to see every member of this band, past and present, succeed in a huge way. With Space Invader, Ace is certainly heading in that direction. Long time fans will love the return to his roots (think early Frehley’s Comet), while new fans will just enjoy having some true, ass kicking, rock and roll.

Ryo’s Rating: 8 (out of 10)

The Clarks – Feathers & Bones 

It took a while, but The Clarks finally released some new music this past summer. And while the wait was a long one, it was certainly worth it. From the opening track of “Feathers & Bones,” the Clarks just nail it! Their signature style and sound that has made them a household name in Pittsburgh is all over their latest release. Simply put, this could be their strongest album since 2000’s Let It Go.

Scott Blasey’s vocals sound better than they ever have, even after almost 30 years of singing his ass off. Lead guitarist, Robert James’ guitar work is sincere and strong, providing the appropriate lift in all the right places. And the rhythm section of Greg Joseph on Bass and David Minarik Jr. on drums provide a steady backbeat that pulls everything together.

In short, if you haven’t given The Clarks a try – pick up Feathers & Bones. It’s worth your money and your time.

Ryo’s Rating: 8.5 (out of 10)

The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt 

The latest release by New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem just might be their best record yet. Starting off with the hard and heavy “Stay Vicious,” the band has produced some of their most memorable music. By taking chances and expanding their boundaries, The Gaslight Anthem are able to break away from the adult contemporary labeling and move into uncharted territory.

Get Hurt has a more polished and mature sound. All of the recording and touring the band has done over the years is paying dividends in the form of their most enjoyable music yet. The band also finds themselves on the precipice of huge success. With a massive fan base in England and a headlining performance in their home state of New Jersey, The Gaslight Anthem have arrived on the doorstep of greatness. I have no doubt that they will kick it in come 2015.

Ryo’s Rating: 9 (our of10)

O.A.R. – The Rockville LP 

It’s no big secret that I am a huge fan of O.A.R. It’s also no big secret that I have high expectations for this band and that their last release, King, was rather lacking in the good songs department. So when I heard that the band was going back to basics for The Rockville LP, I was excited. I just wanted to hear a return to the music that made me fall in love with the band. A sound they had slowly travelled away from over the last few years.

I’m happy to report that the band achieved their stated goal and so much more in returning to their original sound. O.A.R. progressed y growing and maturing their music like a good cheese or a fine wine. The Rockville LP is short, sweet, and extremely defined. And while it only contains 10 songs and clocks in at approximately 42 minutes, it’s obvious that the band went for quality over quantity.

With some of their best work to date in songs like “Two Hands Up,” “We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off,” and “Favorite Song,” O.A.R. continues to produce masterpiece music. The new material sounds exceptional live and fits right in with the plethora of classics the band performs on a nightly basis. If this is what the latest incarnation of O.A.R. is going to sound like, then I can’t wait to hear more new music from them.

Ryo’s Rating: 7.5 (Out of 10)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Hypnotic Eye

It’s been a while since I listened to anything new from Tom Petty. His last couple of releases didn’t have anything to draw me in, based on what I heard on the radio. But when I heard “American Dream Plan B,” the lead single for Hypnotic Eye, I just knew that I had to see what the rest of the record was like. Unfortunately, none of it was as good as the lead single.

The record does not really hold up well. After “American Dream Plan B” it tends to fall apart. The rest of Hypnotic Eye lacks that spark and punch contained in the lead track. The songs seem to venture off in unknown directions and never really come to fruition, meandering just for the sake of meandering.

I really wanted to like Hypnotic Eye but I just can’t. Petty, like many aging artists from the 70s rock era, has changed his sound too much for me to enjoy. Some people may like it, and he obviously likes it, but it does not resonate with me. He’s gone from hard rocker with a twang voice, to deep blues and hillbilly rock. That just doesn’t do it for me. Ultimately, Hypnotic Eye was a disappointment.

Ryo’s Rating: 6 (out of 10)

Rise Against – The Black Market 

Let me preface this small review by stating that I am a huge fan of Rise Against. Ever since learning about the band a mere three years ago, I have fallen in love with them and all of the wonderful music they create. So I was very much looking forward to their latest album, The Black Market. The wait was certainly worth it as The Black Market is one of the greatest albums Rise Against has ever released.

Lead singer Tim McIlrath sounds better than ever. I’ve always admired his voice and his ability to carry a tune, but it appears that he has taken his talents to the next level on The Black Market. Songs like “I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore” and “Tragedy + Time” showcase his talents in ways that previous songs have not. And like past Rise Against albums, every song on this record has the potential to be a huge hit. Rise Against has not only stuck to their strengths, but they’ve increased them this time around, producing wonderful melodies and harmonies that fans of the band and modern punk rock are certain to love. The Black Market just may be the best record released this summer.

Ryo’s Rating: 9 (out of 10)

Theory of a Deadman – Savages 

Coming off what I thought was their worst album ever Theory of a Deadman had a lot of making up to do with Savages. I was almost afraid to give it a try, but I suppose every band is allowed to have one questionable album. And after learning that Alice Cooper was a featured guest on one of the tracks, I was hopeful for this new record from one of my favorite bands.

It is with a big grin that I can say Savages is a definite improvement over The Truth Is… And while it’s not quite up to the level of Scars & Souvenirs it is a solid album that finds the band the returning to the style of music that made me fall in love with them in the first place. Lead tracks “Drown” and “Blow” are enjoyable modern rocking songs that set the pace for the rest of the record. The title track, “Savages,” is the song that Alice Cooper guests on and it is possibly the best song on the album. It was spectacular to see Alice Cooper performing with Theory and it made for an incredible song.

Overall I was happy to see Theory make a comeback with Savages. It’s a fun record that returns the band to their true form. That’s great news for this fan.

Ryo’s Rating: 7.5 (out of 10)

And that’s my quick take on some of this past summer’s releases. Summer releases rock!