[button color=”black” size=”big” link=”https://emimusicaus.lnk.to/RiseAgainstWolves” icon=”fa-music” target=”true”]ORDER YOUR COPY[/button]Eighteen years and eight albums into their career and Rise Against deliver one of the most important albums of their career in the form of “Wolves”. As a band Rise Against have always strived to make their music say something about the world that we all live in, yes they have the makings of an old-fashioned punk band, so what better time than to deliver an album in a period of time when their home country, America, is in political turmoil.
“Wolves” also see Rise Against team up with a new producer, Grammy Award winner Nick Raskulinecz, and the result is obvious with Rise Against’s sound really taking an alternative rock feel which is blended in with their regular punk sound. The change is so obvious that on Welcome To The Breakdown at times Tim McIlrath sounds like Dave Grohl. That blend is most obvious on the title track, Wolves, which features a cascading alternative rock sound and vocal cord straining punk vocals.
It is actually refreshing to listen to an album that delivers a message, and while How Many Walls is probably the most pop-punk sounding track on the album, it still sees Rise Against making a powerful political message. While there are other pop-punk moments like Mourning In America the band also goes back to the roots of punk the strong lyrics of Bullshit and House On Fire the latter boasting the line – “there is no fucking way I’ll leave you.”
There is also a hint of catchiness around most of the tracks on Wolves, and that means one thing – this is going to be an awesome album to hear played live. The Violence and Politics Of Love are pure alternative rock sounding with infectious, catchy choruses while Far From Perfect features some intense punk drumming from Brandon Barnes while again consisting of a chorus that just makes you want to sing along.
The catchy-songs-with-meaning skill has been something that bands like Green Day have mastered over the years, but it seems like Rise Against are now giving them a run for their money.”Wolves” is a pretty good album that shows that even are 18 years into their career this band still has plenty to say.
4/5 Stars
