Rise.

"Real revolution begins at learning. If you're not angry, you're not paying attention".

The above quote was said by Tim McIlrath, front man and founding member of one of my favourite bands; Rise Against. This post is going to be dedicated to Rise Against as a reflection on my association with the band, their music, and their message. This post is also timely as their next studio album is set for release on March 15. I wait in anticipation.

Very few musical acts have had such a major impact on my life like the one Rise Against has. The first Rise Against album I ever purchased was their 2006 release The Sufferer & The Witness. I don't remember what exactly drew me to the album, but I figure I must've liked the album's single "Ready To Fall". Musically, I found the album to be riveting. It was edgy, raw, powerful, and ultimately beautiful. It was different from anything I had previously been exposed to. It was my first real experience with "punk" music and it got me hooked on the genre. However I soon realized that I had gotten more than a couple good tunes out of The Sufferer as the album drastically altered my perception of myself and the world in which I lived. Lyrically, it expressed thoughts, ideas, and concerns in such a way that I could never amply verbalize. I soon sought out the rest of the band's albums and I've been a fan ever since. Their work generally deals with issues regarding: social injustice, angst, anger, love, hate, loss, friends, enemies, belonging, and alienation. These topics weren't completely foreign to me, but Rise Against was able to lyrically and rhythmically convey them in such a way that really struck a chord.

I soon embraced Rise Against fully and tried to integrate what they taught me through their music into my everyday life. My adornment of Rise Against can be directly linked to an attempt at a vegetarian diet in the summer of 2007 as well as my brief membership with the People Against the Unethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Rise Against turned me into a harsh critic of neo-liberalism, and an advocate for social welfare and equality. I had even created a Facebook group in appreciation for the band which managed to grow to about 150 members. The group had started with me and the adding of a few friends but it soon grew to comprise of many individuals who I have no known common connection with except for our mutual respect and appreciation for everything Rise Against. This may not sound like a huge deal to some, but for me (a teenager who was awkward, shy, and very self-conscious) it was a pretty big deal personally to have created something from nothing and have so many people embrace and share in it. The group eventually died down as administrating it became too much of a hassle, but I managed to interact with some interesting people and make a few friends through the group.

At the age of 20, while I still respect Rise Against and their work, I am currently less zealous about the band and the music as compared to my teenage years. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it was all a "rebellious" phase that I grew out of. Maybe I've become more cynical as a person, disregarding some of the "calls to action" I had previously embraced. Maybe I adopted a more realist view of the world, seeing that while change is necessary, punk music was not the be-all-end-all road to reform. Maybe I just didn't like their latest album very much. I'm not sure. I'm not even sure why I grasped onto the band and the music in the first place. Maybe I was just an impressionable youth, looking for some ideals and values to grab onto in a world I clearly thought of as broken and dysfunctional. Maybe I was just angry and looking for an outlet, or music that could express my feelings better than I ever could. Or maybe I thought that the message and the music was important and valuable. Maybe I just wanted to be different, because I was sick of the people who were the same. If I ever run into my 16 year-old self again I'll be sure to ask him.

While I am not a teenager anymore, I do recognize the value and the importance of Rise Against as a musical act and as a conveyor of messages currently lost in a lot of "mainstream" music. Rise Against is an outlet of frustration. It is a sanctuary. It is an education. They have taught me a lot. They have introduced many concepts and ideas to me which were previously unknown. They have helped me cope in the toughest of times.

They are a part of who I am.

Some of my favourite Rise Against songs (chronologically by album) for your listening pleasure:
The Unraveling (2001)
[The audio quality is not very good for the following three songs - I apologize. The others are fine]
"Six Ways 'Til Sunday"
"Reception Fades"
"Everchanging"

Revolutions Per Minute (2003)
"Black Masks & Gasoline"
"Blood-Red White & Blue"
"Halfway There"

Siren Song Of The Counter Culture (2004)
"State of the Union"
"Paper Wings"
"Swing Life Away"

The Sufferer & The Witness (2006)
"The Approaching Curve"
"The Good Left Undone"
"Survive"

This Is Noise (EP) (2007)
"Obstructed View"
"But Tonight We Dance"

Appeal To Reason (2008)
"Audience of One"
"Savior"
"Whereabouts Unknown"

Endgame (2011)
"Architects"
"Satellite"
"Midnight Hands"

If you'd like more information about Rise Against, please check out their official website.