During “Architects,” the opening track of Rise Against’s recent release, “Endgame,” lead singer Tim McIlrath sings all about how disappointing it is when someone loses a passion they had for something they once loved. One may interpret this as McIlrath singing about his band.
When Rise Against was younger, it played aggressive punk music. Now, after combining its previous release “Appeal to Reason,” with “Endgame,” it’s clear the band lost a little of the passion and fire it had when it didn’t have acts like Bad Religion and Rancid opening for them.
The album picks up right where “Appeal to Reason” left off with radio-friendly, hard-rock songs instead of fist pumping anthems.
“Disparity by Design,” “Broken Mirrors” and “A Gentleman’s Coup” are better than any modern-rock tune on the radio now; the band fuses catchy and memorable choruses with strong lyrics, however, it gets mundanely repetitive.
One thing Rise Against did stay true to was sticking strong political messages into its songs. The album touches on everything from Hurricane Katrina to the lack of concern for the future of America. The deepest song is “Make it Stop (September’s Children),” which is in reference to the suicides of homosexuals last September.
The two standout tracks are the slowest on the entire record: “Wait For Me” and “This is Letting Go.” With a solo guitar that leads into the full band, the melodic ideas showcase each musician’s songwriting ability.
“Endgame” makes a boring full listen. If you’re looking for a new manifestation of Rise Against, “Endgame” will disappoint you, but if you revel in the clean emotion that this band has always brought, this record is for you.
Rating: W W 1/2
Source: theweekender.com