Rise Against- A True Taste of Punk Rock

The band Rise Against is an American group from Chicago, Illinois that has been in the punk rock scene for more than a decade.

Band History

It was the members of 88 Fingers Louie and Baxter that originally got together to create the group Transistor Revolt. It was Tim Mcllrath who took the lead on vocals while Toni Tintari handled the drums. Mr. Precision took on the guitar while Joe Principe tackled bass. The two also provided backup vocals. The group was able to independently release an EP demo with four tracks. It was called “Transistor Revolt.” It was after this that they were then able to ink a record deal.

Tony Tintari never moved on beyond the initial EP band work. He left and the band commissioned Dan Lumley to handle drums. Lumley left early too and was replaced by Brandon Barnes. Barnes is still with the group today playing in the same capacity.

After a year, the band signed up with Fat Wrech Chords which is an independent label. Before they were able to come up with their first album Transistor Revolt became known as Rise Against. In April 2001, they were able to release their first album “The Unraveling.” After the conclusion of this first project, Mr. Precision left and Todd Mohney took on his responsibilities. In 2003, the band released a second album, “Revolutions per Minute.”

The following year, the band took on the challenge of going mainstream. Their first step was to sign up with Dreamworks Records. After this, they released “Siren Song of the Counter Culture” which was their third album. The band eventually moved on to Geffen Records when Dreamworks was taken in by the Universal Music Group.

After this change, Todd Mohney decided to leave the band and Chris Chasse came in to fill the spot. Chasse however did not stay for long, leaving in 2007 after the fourth Rise Against album release. Zach Blair became the new guitarist and worked with the band on its fifth album and on other Rise Against video features. He is still currently with the group.

Studio Albums Released

The album “The Unraveling” was the first album in 2001 for the group under the name Rise Against. The initial EP demo tracks were made while Brandon Barnes was still with the group. A couple of years later, the work was remixed, remastered and then released a second time. With record label Fat Wreck Chords, “Revolutions per Minute” came to be. This album sat on the fifteenth spot of the 2003 Billboard Top Independent Albums.

The third album “Siren Song of the Counter Culture” came out when they signed up with the Dreamworks label. Of all the releases, it was this one that was regarded a big deal but got mixed reactions from listeners. The fourth album “The Sufferer the Witness” was more popular, selling more than 48,000 in just the first week. Music fans have been more critical of the following album “Appeal to Reason.” Nonetheless, it still took the number three spot and sold more than 64,000 copies.

It seems future additions to the Rise Against discography will no longer be a part of the underground scene. This has led to a slew of mixed feedback from music fans. It seems though that the band is all set to take on greater challenges. A new album is slated to be recorded in autumn of 2010 and the group is scheduled to open for Green Day.