Rise Against – The Black Market

How often do we not lament the fact that there seem to be no big bands that can fill the shoes of the classics in a genre? Which band is the new Slayer, NOFX or Sick of it All? One band that has grown immensely the past five years is Rise Against, who just released their seventh album, The Black Market.

Endgame was very disappointing. And for the fans of their early Fat Wreck days, this record will disappoint as well. They did include one song specifically for you guys, ‘The Eco-Terrorist in Me’, where Tim McIlrath even screams again. But for those who like the combination between hardcore punk and major label rock influences, The Black Market is enjoyable, especially compared to its predecessor.

Rise Against still wears their activist principles on their sleeve, but their music is turning more and more into a version of Foo Fighters. Sometimes the songs sound too polished, crafted in a way that has to appeal large stadium crowds. It feels like going through the motions too often, even by including ‘People Live Here’, the acoustic ‘heartfelt’ song for everyone. But the energy that was missing on Endgame is back and that makes half the songs fun enough to listen to.

Whichever period of the band you like best, The Black Market probably will score numerous new fans and please old fans. For the very old fans, its nice to know it isn’t as bad as Endgame was. But it is clear that with this album, they could grow even bigger.

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