The world’s on fire, so Rise Against must have something to say, surely? As artists line up to rally against the myriad injustices that face us day-to-day, the Chicago punks have the wisdom that comes with being on the front line for longer than most.
The moment looks perfect for them but, somehow, on ‘Ricochet’ their grip on their sword slips. It’s an unexpected downturn given the sterling quality of their previous release, 2021’s ‘Nowhere Generation’, but here, there are a few things that feel a little off.
Their observations are astute as ever, but rather than picking up and examining the detritus of a decaying world, they find a human element.
Nod, the steadfast punk rager that opens the record with an uplifting chorus, explores the quiet sense of common ground we find in each other, while Black Crown offers a refreshing antidote to doomerism by imagining the empty rewards of prophesying the apocalypse. “No prizе waits when we finish / therе’s no race left to run,” sings guest vocalist Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra.
Musically, it’s more mixed. While I Want It All’s retro-tinged abrasion is an early highlight and Prizefighter ends on a positive note with a surge of energy and determination, other moments are muddier. The title track’s bland chords are beige wallpaper behind some unusually forced vocals from frontman Tim McIlrath (whose vocal performance also endures some shaky moments throughout) and although Soldier takes a stab at something loftier, it still just feels a little too boilerplate.
In fact, at points in its second half, their riffs seem to absently drift by. It’s not by any means a waste of time, and there’s definitely plenty to value within the scope of this record, but knowing the calibre of their past work makes this a little disappointing.
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