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30 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The completion of a band's evolution to greatness, July 25, 2006
I was all prepared to accuse Rise Against off selling out after the release of their single "Swing Life Away" from "Siren Song of the Counter Culture," released in 2004. But after listening to their 2006 album "The Sufferer and the Witness" I realize that they haven't sold out, they have simply outgrown the limitations of the punk-genre. And it's all good.
2001 saw the release of "The Unraveling," a quality punk album with 16 tracks clocking in at under 37 minutes. (Do the math.) With 2003 came "Revolutions Per Minute," which is as much hardcore as punk with its pummeling drums and group-shouted refrains. "Siren Song" displays Rise Against's evolution as a band, mixing into the hardcore-punk base a few more fleshed-out rock songs that break out of the three chord mold. At a mainstream length 12 songs and 40 minutes and the inclusion of several acoustic moments (not to mention the MTV-embraced "Swing Life Away"), this album shows definite growth.
Now we have the completion of the process, "The Sufferer and the Witness." The leadoff track "Chamber the Cartridge" proves their punk bona fides have not withered away. Next is "Injection" and the pattern of complex, melodic punk-rock is established. Most of the album continues with this pattern, with occasional deviations, always for the better. Some of the best tracks are in the middle of the album. "Prayer of the Refugee" for example begins with an acoustic-ballad sound before roaring into a dramatically uptempo screaming chorus. Next is "Drones," which hews toward punk-emo if there is such a thing, and I mean that in a good way. Rise Against forgoes the typical social commentary/establishment criticism for a personal song with the refrain "If you see me please just walk on by, walk on by...forget my name, and I'll forget it too."
"The Sufferer and the Witness" might not be a purely-punk album, but neither is it a sell-out album. It is, simply, an awesome, genre-defying rock masterpiece showing a band at the apex of their career.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just as good as the others,, July 25, 2006
This CD really lived up to my expectations. I think it is somewhat like the CD "Revolutions Per Minute". In my opinion, the best track is "Drones". I thought "Siren Song of the Counter Culture" was a letdown and they were getting soft, but this CD changed my mind. Even though the song "Ready to Fall" is their most popular song, I did not like it. Still, this might be their best CD yet! There is one problem, though. Most of their CDs are very similar to each other. For example, "Survive" and "Broken English" have basically indentical rhythm. I don't know if i would buy the entire CD.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Siren song of the counter-counterculture., November 1, 2006
Up on top, it's nothing but gold teeth, big cars and big butts; trolling in the underground, you meet a lot of blind moles that think they know what "independent" means. Rise Against and bands of their ilk fall by the wayside in critical circles. Their music is somehow too abrasive for MTV but not nifty-keen enough for hipsters.
This critical hazing ritual has been enough to net them a "punk" badge in the past, but with "The Sufferer and the Witness," these punks rise to bridge the gap with a fresh ear and a newfound knack for fusing fury with sensitivity-- without illicting jaded groans. Comparisons to The Who for their teenage angst ("Ready to Fall") are not without merit, but the caterwauling evocative-of-the-Pete-Townshend-windmill guitarwork is yet more appropriate. "Chamber the Cartridge" opens innocently enough with war drumming and the dire lilt of distorted electric guitar. Then everything goes to hell and back in just under 43 minutes.
"The Sufferer and the Witness" contains enough adrenaline to kill. The "Chamber"-"Injection"-"Ready" trifecta hooks ears, then Rise Against throws "Bricks" at us for a minute and a half. Anthemic riffing on "Behind Closed Doors" pumps the proverbial fist into the air, sitting twice as well next to the impassioned, Ginsberg-infused howl of singer Tim McIlrath. Things settle down only on the restrained, but surprisingly powerful "Roadside," a duet with Emily Schambra of Holy Roman Empire which conquers the orchestral side of the coin in terms of emotional intensity and proves that Rise Against learned something from critics' response to the maudlin "Swing Life Away" (from 2004's "Siren Song of the Counterculture").
"Survive" is a perfect closer. It's all over the map--sections supported by spastic hardcore punk drumming break into dizzying pedal tone riffs break into a swirling mass of driving harmony, concluding the record with hammer-to-nail finality.
The final word is pretty straightforward, really. Fans of Bad Religion, Social Distortion, and other long-running American punk combos will dig this record mightily even as naysayers dig its grave. In the end, it's just damn good rock music that takes no prisoners. If that doesn't count for crossover appeal, what does?
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