On the heels of May Day, coupled with a sample of the (Russian translated) French anthem, “L’Internationale,” Rise Against releases “The Numbers,” the lead-off track from the band’s upcoming album, “Nowhere Generation” , due out June 4 (Loma Vista Records). Accompanying the release is a defiant visual, encapsulating the spirit of “L’Internationale,” a song that has been an anthem for working people since the late nineteenth century. Watch the video below.
Produced by Bill Stevenson, Andrew Berlin, and Chris Beeble, and recorded in August 2020 at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO, Rise Against – Tim McIlrath/ vocals, rhythm, guitar, Joe Principe/bass, Brandon Barnes/drums, and Zach Blair/guitar – was joined by musicians on violin, viola, cello, upright bass, and piano, instruments one wouldn’t expect on a Rise Against album, but that offer a fresh dynamic to the song.
The eleven songs on “Nowhere Generation” call out today’s social, economic, and political factors that are undermining and redefining one of the core tenants of being an American: that despite your race, place of birth, or societal class, if you apply yourself and work hard, you can achieve your vision of a fuller, richer and better life, The American Dream. What is tantamount to a sell-out of the Middle Class is the thread that runs through the album. Said vocalist/lyricist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath: “The brass ring that was promised by hard work and dedication no longer exists for everyone. When the privileged climb the ladder of success and then burn it from the top, disruption becomes the only answer.”
“Nowhere Generation” album art
RISE AGAINST — McIlrath, Joe Principe (bass), Brandon Barnes (drums) and Zach Blair (lead guitar) — recorded “Nowhere Generation” at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado, under the tutelage of Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, Chris Beeble and longtime producer/engineer Bill Stevenson (BLACK FLAG, THE DESCENDENTS). Stevenson has worked with the band on nearly all of their acclaimed releases since their sophomore effort, 2003’s “Revolutions Per Minute”, and is often described as RISE AGAINST‘s fifth member. “Bill is our not-so-secret weapon,” Principe explained. “He really has helped shape the band; he gets what we want to do and will go with us when we think outside the box. He’s the perfect producer for the style of music we play because he has an insane pop sensibility and the hardcore side to him as well.”
In addition to the communal call to arms embedded in “Nowhere Generation”‘s dynamic title track, there’s the fast and furious anti-establishment manifesto “Broken Dreams, Inc.”, the moody ballad “Forfeit”, “Sudden Urge”, a true nod to the band’s rock’ n’ roll side with an overall punk-vibe, the simplicity of “The Numbers” with a melody that will stick in your head, and the surprise pop candor in “Talking To Ourselves”, a standout song about wanting to be heard and wondering if anyone is listening. “It describes a lot of what RISE AGAINST does,” says McIlrath, “to speak and scream when we feel there are things that are happening that aren’t being addressed.”
“When I was growing up,” said Principe, “I listened to bands like 7 SECONDS, BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT and BAD RELIGION. All of those bands’ music had a sense of hope with the world, a truly positive global view of what life can be. From the beginning, we’ve wanted RISE AGAINST to have that same positivity, to have our music be an inspiration for people to bring about change in their own lives, they just have to put forth the effort and speak up.”
