Rise Against: Nowhere Generation Review
Don't Have A "Sudden Urge" To Listen To Their Latest Album? It's Not One You Should "Forfeit".
When you think of punk rock, many names come to mind. However, with modern punk, there is only one band that has been the cornerstone of the scene ever since they hit the mainstream back in 2004. Rise Against has always produced hard-hitting punk rock music, that touches on social problems of the time, which has always made them stand out.
After the well-received release of ‘Wolves" back in 2017, fans pondered about which subject the group would go after next. This was made clear, after their announcement back in March, that they would be focusing on the reality of the American Dream, which is more relatable than ever in today's climate, showing everyone that something needs to change.
So, with this loaded subject matter, Rise Against had a lot to live up to, but they have always delivered in one way or the other. So with "Nowhere Generation", the expectations were high. They also brought back long-time producers, Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, to produce the album. Stevenson, Livermore had worked with the band on past releases "The Sufferer & the Witness" and "Appeal to Reason". So with all that in mind, it was all set up to be a memorable album from the Chicago puck rockers.
They didn’t disappoint, with the whole album being a fast-paced adrenaline rush, as expected, with songs like "The Number", "Sudden Urge", "Talking to Ourselves" and "Broken Dreams Inc." feeling like they are straight out of their mid to late 2010s era. The whole first half of the album is filled with tonnes of energy and in-your-face guitar tones, and with Tom McIlrath’s powerful lead vocals, putting it all together, are some of the reasons why Rise Against are so fun to listen to.
With "Forfeit", we get an acoustic ballad to slow everything down, being a thoughtful bridge to the second half of the album. We get more of the same straightaway, with awesome tracks like "Monarch, Sounds Like" and "Middle Of A Dream" keeping the high pace energy going. "Rules Of Play" is an enjoyable final track, and caps off a just fully charged Rise Against album, who are back on form..
People need an album like this at the moment, with many of the tracks hitting home. "Sudden Urge" touches on it being ok to let out your feelings once in a while. "Nowhere Generation" expresses how big business and politicians stack the deck against the younger generation, which feel more truthful than ever before.
if you love Rise Against, this is the album for you; It's a fun, 40-minute experienced loaded with fast-paced, punk rock brilliance, socially relevant lyrics, with powerful instrumentations and vocals.