Rise Against
's
The Unraveling
seems to be a bit of a change for
Fat Wreck
. Oh, it's still
punk
(surprisingly, it was recorded by
Mass Giorgini
), it's just a lot more aggressive and not nearly as cheesy as many of the label's acts. This album is not poppy, and there's no juvenile humor;
are a pretty tough band and
shows that aspect. The vocals have a good deal of melody and range, yet can break into screaming at any moment, as many of the tracks show. Songs like
"Everchanging"
show the possibilities that the Chicago quartet is capable of. The lyrics are mature and thoughtful, dealing with friendships and relationships, religion and memories. Similar comparisons could be made to
Whippersnapper
and
Grey Area
, yet there are certain ways
stands out on its own, primarily in its use of melody in the vocals. While
's vocals are more
metal
,
is melodic
hardcore
. Showing that they're not too far from their roots in
88 Fingers Louie
, the
energy is pure and unadulterated here. If there was ever an album to help bring back the finger pointing and circle pits,
might be a good bet. [
's 2005 reissue of
was remastered, and featured two extra tracks.] ~ Kurt Morris