Chicago punk band Rise Against today announced their first new album in four years, and released a video for the title track.
Nowhere Generation – the band’s ninth studio offering – will be released on their new label Loma Vista Recordings on June 4. Musically, it’s described as “blazing, aggressive punk rock”, with the lyrics of its 11 songs inspired in part by band members’ young children and the band’s fans.
Formed in Illinois in 1999, Rise Against are rooted in hardcore punk and melodic hardcore. Their current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes.
They started out on US indie Fat Wreck Chords, before switching to major labels. Their two most recent long-players, The Black Market (2014) and Wolves (2017), both made the Top 10 in the Billboard 200.
On Nowhere Generation, the band point a finger at big business and politics for stacking the social and economical deck against the pursuit of the American Dream by Millennials, Gen Ys, and Gen Zs.
McIlrath said: “Today there is the promise of the American Dream, and then there is the reality of the American Dream. America’s ‘historical norm’ that the next generation will be better off than the one that came before has been diminished by an era of mass social, economic, and political instability and a sell-out of the middle class. 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.
“I’ve come to realise that people want honesty and that music can be a catalyst for change. I think in many ways, we’ve been on a mission to rile people up, and I feel very lucky to be able to do that. Our hope on this record is to jostle people awake, even it if makes you uncomfortable.”
The record’s title track has been unveiled as the lead single, together with a stark video shot entirely in black and white. Nowhere Generation was recorded under the watchful eye and keen ear of long-time producer/engineer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, The Descendents), who is often described as Rise Against’s fifth member.
“Bill is our not-so-secret weapon,” explained Principe. “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.”
“When I was growing up, 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.”
Nowhere Generation will be available digitally and on CD, plus several different vinyl variants, including a limited edition picture disc which is exclusive to the band’s webstore (HERE).
