The Sufferer & the Witness
Occupation
- Vocals, rhythm guitar, Tim McIlrath
- Lead Guitar: Chris Chasse
- Bass: Joe Prinicpe
- Drums: Brandon Barnes
The Sufferer & The Witness ( to German in about: the victim and the witness ) is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band Rise Against. The thematic focus is on climate and environmental protection and global warming and animal rights. It is also the last studio album from Rise Against, where Chris Chasse acts as lead guitarist.
Production and publication
In January 2006, Rise Against announced that they will begin production of their fourth studio album. Together with Bill Stevenson, who had already produced the previous album, they took from March 2006, the new album. On April 19, 2006 Rise Against announced the title of their new album The Sufferer & The Witness and an approximate release date. During this time promotion was pursued mainly through the Internet. In Germany mainly Vertigo.FM in collaboration with the music magazine, which also operates the official German Fanclub of Rise Against. On 4 July 2006, the album was then released in the U.S. and Canada on 28 July 2006 in Europe.
Controversies
For discussions among all was the music video for the single " Ready To Fall ", in which, among other things, pictures can be seen from dying baby seals and whales. To avoid a legal dispute MTV refused to broadcast the video and asked Rise Against to defuse. The band refused unanimously and provides the video since for free download.
Music
Musically is The Sufferer & The Witness between hardcore punk and melodic hardcore and so much different from the previous albums of the band. This repetitive power chords the rhythm guitar plays mainly during the lead guitar solos and melodic parts takes over. The chorus then mostly playing all the instruments together with the shouted vocals from Tim McIlrath. Often guitar parts are muted by holding a finger on the strings, as in the intro of the song Ready To Fall.
Criticism
The Sufferer & The Witness was praised by the press for the most part. So wrote Mathias Möller www.laut.de:
" Rise Against embody such a thing as the good conscience of the punk scene. They also underline with their fourth studio album" The Sufferer And The Witness. " They do not annoy with do-gooders, but let it rip powerful. "
Also the magazine CDSTARTS.de gave a positive rating of 7/10 points:
" Just as you write punk rock songs that have hit qualities, but let there be no childish pop-punk suspicions. "
Title list
Singles
- Ready to Fall
- Prayer of the Refugee
- The Good Left Undone
- Behind Closed Doors
- The Approaching Curve