Siren Song of the Counter Culture

Rise Against

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 10, 2004)
• Original Release Date: August 10, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dreamworks
• ASIN: B0002KQOGW
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,057 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #5 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Hardcore & Punk > Hardcore
  #19 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Hardcore & Punk > Punk Revival
  #28 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Hardcore & Punk > Punk

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Rise Against are a political punk band from Chicago who recorded Siren Song of the Counter-Culture with Rage Against the Machine producer GGGarth and Rage and Nirvana mixer Andy Wallace. The four band members came together from punk bands 88 Fingers Louie, Pinhead Circus, and the Enemy, and the emo band Baxter, and play old school punk (e.g., Descendants) with a strong political point of view.

Siren Song of the Counter-Culture has drawn rave reviews from key publications. Rolling Stone praised the band's "rousing, intelligent fury," while Alternative Press said "the band's engrossing hardcore is an urgent siren song that's appropriate for these angst-ridden, uncertain times."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The best hardcore punk album in a long time!, September 11, 2005

By	Morton (Colorado) - See all my reviews

Rise Against is a band I have always liked, ever since they released their first album back in the day. To me it seems like punk is getting worse and worse as time goes by, but Rise Against seems to be getting better and better with each passing album, and here on Siren Song of The Counter Culture everything seems to be working perfectly. The vocals are great and the guitar is just as amazing this time around, and the lyrics/songwriting has never been better I dont know if they will ever top this album.

The album opens with maybe the hardest song on the album, 'State Of The Union' which features some killer vocals and is a great rocker to start off the album. perfect opener! 'The First Drop' is pretty cool but nothing really to stand out. 'Life Less Frightening' is a cool song one of the better ones on the album, mostly screaming on this song instead of singing but it really works for this song, I just hope that all the screaming doesnt kill the amazing vocals the guy has. 'Paper Wings' was the first single off the album and it didnt really do a whole lot on the radio or on the charts but it is a really really good song so I dont see why. 'Blood To Bleed' is good but not really special, but the next song sure is. 'To Them These Streets Belong' is one of the best songs on the album and one of the best song I have heard in a really long time, it starts off all slow and goes full throtal in to total punk and it's just plain amazing, a truly great song. The next song is my favorite song on the album, 'Tip The Scales' is such a killer song, even though the guitarriff is pretty repetitive I still love it and this is easily the best song on the album anyone who hears this song wount be able to help but love it to death! It's gonna be a classic if they ever release it! 'Anywhere But Here' 'Give It All' and 'Dancing For Rain' all have really great lyrics and are killer songs the only problem is that they sound kinda the same, except for the intro to dancing thats pretty cool. The next song is the big single on the album and it is the most original song on the album because it is played on an acoustic guitar and it shows what talent this band has a as well as diversity. The lyrics are amazing and the vocals give me the chills, this is truly a beautifull song, 'Swing life Away' is just simply put and amazing song. The album closes with 'Rumors Of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated' and it is the absolute best song to end the album, it's hard fast and in your face and it leaves you want more, it does exactly what all album closers should do!

The Siren Song Of The Counter Culter by Rise Against is one of the better albums I have bought in a long time and is with out a doubt the best punk album in the last 10 years so do yourself a favor and pick it up!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relief in the form of an album, February 14, 2005

By	Hugh G. Rection "Pea Tear Griffon" (Frozen Tundra of Southwest Ohio) - See all my reviews

I thank Rise Against. If it wasn't for this band, I would have turned my back on punk rock utterly and totally. I was desperate, I was anxious, and I was alone. Bad Religion had just released their latest album, along with Social D and Pennywise. I had bought them and listened to them until I was sick of them. I had no where else to turn. I bought a couple nu-metal albums, a couple rap albums, and even a couple compilations. I was disappointed in punk rock. All of these new punk bands were pissing me off in a way that only God himself could understand. I chanced upon this album by flirting with one of the hot goth chicks up at Hot Topic. She told me about this band and said I need to check out this album. I thank that Hot Topic chick, I thank her to this very second in time. This CD blew me the f*ck away like a slug from a shotgun in the dome at point-blank range followed by a dump truck unloading about 100 pounds of cow sh*t on top of me and letting dung beatles feast on my remains. That's what happened. I was shocked. This album is by far one of the best albums I have EVER heard. I immediately bought "Black Masks and Gasoline" and "The Unravelling". "Black Masks" was equally as good but "The Unravelling" left me a little disappointed. But that's besides the point, this album alone is enough to rekindle the old punk rock spirit in a young punk rock kid.

25 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a lot heavier than the whiney brat, mainstream "punk", September 27, 2004

By	George Dionne (WWW.ROCK-IS-LIFE.COM) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What's good about it?
A faded, fuzzy punk riff establishes "Paper Wings". That far off riff is quickly replaced by a booming version of it, topped with driving drumbeats, rugged vocals, and power chords a plenty. The hook for "Life Less Frightening" evokes some of The Ramones more commercial style riffs. You know, the three-chord change and the punk style guitar muting. The dual vocal harmonies in the chorus are a nice touch. The drums hit you like a machine gun on "Anywhere But Here", and I gotta say, the vocals may be a little rough around the edges, but they are still manage to be tuneful. You'll think that Rise Against are going to slow it down on "Give It All" with its ominous opening sequence, but before you know it, the rhythm kicks into a break-neck pace. You might be a bit taken back by the acoustic intro on "Dance for Rain", because let's face it; punk and acoustic don't really share the same bed. However, intense vocals and punishing rhythms destroy that union. Little guitar licks and tempo changes really strokes this track.

Anything bad?
Nope.

Bottom Line
Overall, I would describe Rise Against's latest album as a cross between Jimmy Eat World and early Offspring. The songs are fun and easy to sing along with. It's a lot heavier than the whiney brat, mainstream "punk" that's over played on the radio.