Ricochet is Chicago punk veterans Rise Against’s 10th album and, unfortunately, one which suggests that despite a four-year break since Nowhere Generation, that they have hit that point where they are seriously struggling to maintain relevance. In fact, they would seem to be both short of anything special to say and for tunes to carry their message, such as it is.
A quarter of a century ago, when Rise Against first appeared, they were a melodic hardcore punk band, mining much the same territory as Bad Religion and Green Day. Political, compassionate and speedy, but with catchy tunes that frequently found themselves near the top of the US Billboard 200. That was a long time ago though and the band have inevitably changed somewhat since then.
While moving away from their core sound can be exciting and re-energising for many bands who have been around for a while, the music on Ricochet unfortunately does not suggest a band embracing new and contemporary ideas. Opening track, “Nod” sounds like it might even have been written to soundtrack a car advertisement, while so many other tunes are derivative and unimaginative, with “Gold Long Gone” and “Soldier” wandering far too close to power ballad territory for their own good.
That said, the lyrical content of Ricochet suggests that Rise Against’s hearts are still in the right place, even if they aren’t exactly ready to man the barricades. There are songs about striving for a better society, like “Us Against the World” and “Black Crown”, and others such as “State of Emergency”, which call out those that stir up fear for their own benefit. However, the whole thing feels like it was written to order, mainly featuring vapid alt rock sounds that only give the slightest hint of stepping away from the mainstream. In short, Ricochet is the sound of corporate rock dressed in black.
