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The opening song 'Chamber the Cartridge' begins with a marching drum beat, while 'Injection' uses double time tempo and a driving guitar riff. Many of the album's songs focus on melody, catchy hooks, and rapid-paced tempo to this extent, Corey Apar of AllMusic wrote, 'this record is basically one shout-along, mosh-worthy song after another'. McIlrath commented: 'It's definitely more of a punk rock record.We haven't 'grown or matured' as such, we've just really executed what we've been trying to nail with the last few records.' Critics have characterized the album's music as melodic hardcore. Composition Music įor The Sufferer & the Witness, Rise Against's members sought to return to their punk roots. There were really few questions and the song lyrics would just come out of us, it went really well and everyone really liked them.' Unlike the stressful recording sessions for Siren Song of the Counter Culture, the band members had a much more enjoyable time with The Suffer & the Witness, as they no longer sought the approval of their parent company Geffen Records. The band was not affected by this added pressure however according to McIlrath: 'It went great, the songs just flowed out of us. McIlrath noted that the band procrastinated writing the songs for several weeks, leaving them with only a three-week period to write the entire album. The rest of the songs were written in January 2006, in a practice space in West Side, Chicago. īy December 2005, five songs had been written for The Suffer & the Witness. The members developed a strong rapport with the duo while recording that album, particularly Stevenson, whom McIlrath described as their 'musical soul mate'. When it came time to record The Sufferer & the Witness, the band members decided to return to Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, who produced their 2003 album Revolutions per Minute. Combined with the numerous distractions and inconveniences that plagued the recording sessions, lead vocalist Tim McIlrath views Siren Song of the Counter Culture as the album that 'got away from us'.

Richardson was better known for his work with heavier-sounding bands like Mudvayne and Rage Against the Machine, and as a result, the album sounded more polished and heavier than Rise Against's previous raw material. ĭuring the recording sessions for Siren Song of the Counter Culture, the band members became dissatisfied with the contributions from producer Garth Richardson, as he did not fully understand their musical background in punk rock. The next month, the band members reconvened and began work on their fourth album The Suffer & the Witness. To promote the album, Rise Against embarked on an extensive touring schedule that concluded in December 2005. Siren Song of the Counter Culture 's success was largely due to the breakthrough single ' Swing Life Away', an acoustic ballad that starkly contrasted the band's typical hardcore oeuvre. A sleeper hit in the United States, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting shipments of 500,000 copies. In August 2004, Rise Against released its major record label debut album Siren Song of the Counter Culture. During the tour, guitarist Chris Chasse left the band and was replaced by Zach Blair. Rise Against supported the album with The Sufferer & the Witness Tour throughout the second half of 2006 and all of 2007. All three songs charted on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States, and accompanying music videos were produced. Three songs from The Sufferer & the Witness were released as singles: ' Ready to Fall', ' Prayer of the Refugee', and ' The Good Left Undone'. Reviewers also highlighted the vocals of singer Tim McIlrath and the production of Stevenson and Livermore. Critical appraisal was mainly positive, with reviewers complimenting Rise Against's ability to mature in its sound while simultaneously retain its punk roots. The Sufferer & the Witness sold 48,327 copies in its first week of release, and charted in seven countries, including the United States where it entered at position ten on the Billboard 200. Social and political issues as well as the concept of self-reflection constitute the majority of the lyrical content.ĭissatisfied with Siren Song of the Counter Culture 's (2004) producer Garth Richardson, the band members decided to record their next album with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, the duo that worked on their 2003 album Revolutions per Minute. A melodic hardcore album, it comprises thirteen tracks that focus on melody, catchy hooks, and rapid-paced tempo.

The Sufferer & the Witness is the fourth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on July 4, 2006.

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