SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RISE AGAINST – RICOCHET

RISE AGAINST
RICOCHET
LOMA VISTA

Following a series of singles released since January of this year, Rise Against has returned with their 10th studio album, and their first since 2021’s Nowhere Generation. In addition to shaking up their sound, Ricochet sees the band work with producer Catherine Marks (boygenius, Manchester Orchestra), making for a versatile entry into the punk veteran’s discography.

Ricochet opens with three of the four singles, saving “Prizefighter” for the climatic closer. “Nod” wastes no time kicking down the doors with a salvo of crunching power chords and a driving chorus. Similarly, “I Want It All” is led by a syncopated guitar riff that sees the band play with space in a way reminiscent of latter career Pearl Jam before erupting into the sheer violence of an absolutely explosive chorus. The pulsing shots, accented by Tim McIlrath’s throaty, belting vocals are, without a doubt, among the most gripping moments across the entire album centred around a beyond powerful vocal delivery. The title track follows with a rhythmic acoustic guitar line that evolves into a cinematic and moody chorus. “Ricochet” feels like a composition with subtle elements joining the arrangement with each passing moment as the song builds into something far bigger than it began.

Across the 12 songs, Rise Against demonstrates a range to both their songwriting and performance that has never been flexed quite as far as on Ricochet. Without sacrificing their punk credibility, there is a greater element of refinement to this record that sounds like if U2 still had some teeth – perhaps this is the direction post-punk is headed this decade. While the opening tracks are among the strongest on the album, Ricochet continues to deliver gems throughout, including the behemoth that is “Black Crown”, featuring Manchester Orchestra vocalist, Andy Hull, the longing ballad that is “Gold Long Gone”, and the closing “Prizefighter.”

While promoting the album through a series of intimate acoustic performances and Q&A’s in select cities, including a stop at Toronto’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the band has expressed their desire to deliver an album unlike anything they’ve done in the past. While not quite the sonic departure they had alluded to for their 10th outing, Rise Against sounds hungry, ambitious, and creatively reinvigorated. Ricochet may still very well fit in with the rest of their music, but it is certainly their versatile album to date by a mile. All things considered, Ricochet is the most exciting record to come from Rise Against in years.

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