Jewel case edition

After 15 years and six incendiary albums, Rise Against have become one of the most successful, challenging and revered punk rock bands in history. In 2014 they make their return to the scene with The Black Market– an album that focuses on the cost of self-awareness. “Rise Against has always been a political band, but also a personal band,” says lead vocalist Tim. “We’ve always had songs that have a foot in both worlds. This album is a lot more introspective to me.” The intensely melodic strains of the first single: ‘I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore’ is a case in point - riding a huge chorus and speaking of universal themes of entrapment and escape.

On the one hand, The Black Market was forged like other Rise Against records. Tim McIlrath, bassist Joe Principe, guitarist Zach Blair and drummer Brandon Barnes recorded it between January and March, 2014, at the Blasting Room Studios, with long-time producers Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore. But something was different this time around.

The Black Market marks the maturation of Rise Against’ssound. The melodic breadth, the impassioned screaming, scissoring guitars, bubbling basslines and whipping drums still exist, but other moments have no reference point in their discography. It’s something that Joe is particularly proud of, signalling out the Foo Fighters reach of ‘Sudden Life,’ the groove of ‘Zero-Visibility’ and the intensity of ‘Eco-Terrorist In Me’“When you hear a song from this record you won’t ask, ‘what record is this from?’” concludes Tim. “This isn’t another Rise Against record part two. That’s a victory for me. We created something different and relevant, and I’m proud.”