Rise Against’s newest album sees them continue their attempts to appeal to a mainstream audience by infusing melodic hardcore with pop punk singalongs. Refreshingly, unlike a lot of their contemporaries, they make no hypocritically non-conformist stabs at the mainstream, unashamedly going against the anti-commercialism punk initially espoused. In its place lie passionate and ethically conscious lyrics that beckon the listener to sing along and rise against a variety of contemporary foes including homophobia, the destruction of the environment and war.
Musically, Endgame is very samey, with each song being an inferior or superior attempt at every other song on the album. There’s no variety at all, with Rise Against not even bothering to include a token ballad. The music follows the dominant trends in modern melodic hardcore and death metal, with every song featuring a soaring singalong chorus with clean vocal harmonies, contrasted with more aggressive, rhythm-based verses. The hooks range in quality from “hit factory 101” to “auditory wallpaper”. While some of them are notably good (listen to Help is on the Way on YouTube) and none of them are notably bad, a few are very forgettable and bland. Unlike a lot of other modern hardcore punk bands, Rise Against continue their aversion to harsh vocals, featuring only a well-placed raspy shout at the climax of every few tracks, which is not enough to put off your average listener. Endgame is a polished, melodic and satisfyingly consistent album. Sure it’s a one trick pony, but that one trick is usually pretty catchy and well made. If you’re in the mood for melodic, anthemic rock music you can’t go wrong with Endgame.
More from Reviews
Review: The Best Smashed Avo on Toast Hotspots in Adelaide
Written by Nate Drewett Cover art by Danielle Fopp Tell me, fair readers, is there a more satisfying simplicity than a meal …
Review: A timelapse of smells from the corner of West Terrace and North Terrace to Port Road
Written by Anisha Pillarisetty 5.50 am July 8, 2021: The smell is laden, congealing in the pre-dawn gaze of the Royal Adelaide …
Review: Kajillionarie
Written by Jacob Horrocks “Most people want to be Kajillionaires. That’s the dream.” In 1721, a Scottish woman named Maggie Dickson was …