by Ryan Coulter ’12

Known for their unsubtle lyrical commentary on social and political events, Rise Against continues their switch to a type of punk rock that doesn’t quite meet the sound fans used to adore. With the release of their sixth studio record “Endgame” this past month, Rise Against shows not only their transformation away from their previous, more mainstream sound, comparable to that of Green Day’s, but also the relevance of their social commentary that, for better or worse, syncs perfectly with the chaos stricken world surrounding us today.

Nothing defines the album’s intent better than lyrics from the lead track “Architect” which questions, “Do you care to be the layer of the bricks that seal your fate, or would you rather be the architect of what we might create.” Though the album starts off with fast pace instrumentals and upbeat vocals that grab listeners attention, the album loses potency because of the repetitive sound from song to song.

Unlike previous albums such as 2008’s “Appeal to Reason” and 2004’s “The Sufferer and the Witness,” “Endgame” radiates a stronger, more hardcore sound than many Rise Against fans may be used to. Lacking that one slow song that Rise Against albums commonly include such as “Hero of War” or “Swing Life Away” on previous albums, “Endgame” seems to run from topic to topic instead of dealing with each song in its own unique melodic way. When each tragedy is revealed with almost the exact same sound as the last, it makes it difficult for the listener to distinguish them.

Gathering inspiration from tragic disasters, Rise Against almost demands attention to today’s problems, and is particularly successful in achieving this when singer Tim McIlrath makes connections to devastating events such as Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill in the Gulf in the song “Help Is On The Way.” The song exposes the government’s false promise of assistance and draws genuine empathy from listeners, while still providing those hardcore guitar riffs that punk rock fanatics crave.

As the band matures, so does their choice of topics. As they tackle more heart-wrenching, chaotic disasters, their tone also shifts. Back when the band released “Siren Song of the Counter Culture” in 2004, their attempt to be mainstream reflected their more superficial content. Remnants of this sound can still be seen even in Rise Against’s last album “Appeal to Reason.” However, after the release of “Endgame,” that mainstream rock sound seems to have all but disappeared. Be prepared for a level where that same old sound fans adored is lost and exchanged for hardcore melodies and vocals.

Listeners don’t have to search deep into Rise Against’s new tracks to find that the album is chock full of heart-wrenching messages. The band leaves its listeners with an soldier’s unsettling reminder in “Survivor’s Guilt” when revealing, “And I fought with courage to preserve not my way of life but yours.” Powerful lyrics aimed to stop bullying in schools are seen in “Make it Stop” when the band asserts, “Too much blood has flowed from wrists from the children shamed for those they chose to kiss.”

Though the album’s messages are indescribably significant, the overall sound doesn’t quite meet the mark that many Rise Against has previously met. Albums such as “Endgame” do provide a perspective that people across the world need to take into consideration, but Rise Against took their melodies to a place that is too far from where they used to be, leaving listeners questioning whether or not the band will ever rise from its newly established plunge. Without a doubt, some pieces of this album are appealing, but there are simply too many songs that sound too similar.