The Black Market | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 15, 2014 | |||
Studio | The Blasting Room, Fort Collins, Colorado | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 46:18 | |||
Label | Interscope | |||
Producer |
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Rise Against chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Black Market | ||||
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The Black Market is the seventh studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on July 15, 2014 through Interscope Records. A melodic hardcore album, The Black Market comprises twelve songs that focus on mid-tempo rhythm, vocal hooks, and strong bridge sections. The album's thematically introspective lyrics are a departure from the band's typical social and political topics, and revolve around dark subject matter.
After touring in support of their 2011 album Endgame , Rise Against took a year-long hiatus, and began recording The Black Market in January 2014 at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado. The band members employed new recording techniques, such as greater usage of analog signals on a Kemper amplifier, and an Evertune bridge to keep the guitars in tune. The Black Market debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming Rise Against's fourth consecutive album to chart within the top ten. The album also charted highly in several other countries such as Canada, where it became Rise Against's third consecutive album to reach number one on the Canadian Albums Chart.
Critics praised the more introspective lyrics on The Black Market, but were divided in their opinions on the music; some found the music to be formulaic and stale, while others felt it was more nuanced than previous Rise Against material, and that it complemented the lyrics. To promote the album, Rise Against toured throughout 2014 and 2015 with several other rock bands, such as Touché Amoré, Pennywise, and Killswitch Engage.
Rise Against released their sixth studio album, Endgame , in 2011. [1] A commercial success, the band toured in support of the album for two years, and released the compilation album Long Forgotten Songs: B-Sides & Covers 2000–2013 in 2013. [2] [3] Guitarist Zach Blair noted how the extensive touring took a toll on the band members. He said, "You’re constantly gone. You don't feel like you live anywhere". He also discussed how the other three band members' lives had evolved, and were away from their families for months on end. "It's an interesting thing to kind of realize that and kind of get out of the bubble, get out of the bus, and go 'Oh, geez, we actually have lives outside of what we do.'" [1] Rise Against took a year-long hiatus, and reconvened in January 2014 to begin work on The Black Market. [1]
The band chose Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore to produce the album. [4] The duo had produced four of Rise Against's last five albums, and the two parties developed a strong rapport with each other over the years. [5] The album was recorded at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado. When asked about the Blasting Room, Blair said: "You go up there and just live, breathe, and eat your record. There aren't any distractions, and that's really what works for us". [6] The Black Market featured new recording techniques for Rise Against. The band tweaked its guitar tones by using more analog signals on a Kemper amplifier, and used an Evertune bridge to keep the guitars in tune. This facilitated a greater focus on the creative aspects of recording, rather than just technical ones. [7] As singer Tim McIlrath put it: "I want the songs to feel a certain way. I want the songs to hit the guy and the girl who don't really care about guitar tones." [5] Stevenson wanted to maintain the rawness of McIlrath's vocals as opposed to smoothing them out like on previous albums. [8]
As Rise Against's primary lyricist, McIlrath elected to have introspection as the major theme of the album. At first, McIlrath wanted to write about the role of Rise Against for himself and the listeners. [8] As the songwriting sessions progressed, McIlrath began to write about more personal experiences, which he described as "a cathartic experience." He continued, saying, "So the silver lining was how you deal with it. It was a form of therapy, and what I wanted to do on this album was confront all of it." [8] The theme of introspection differed from the band's previous material, which often focused on social and political issues. [9] McIlrath noted the new theme arose from the idea that the band members were seven albums into their career, and that the lyrics necessitated a new approach. [10] He also said that the introspection theme affected the music on the album, as the band members took the approach of "what else can we say that we haven't said before?" [8]
AllMusic's Gregory Heaney described The Black Market as a more toned-down version of Endgame, [9] while Andy Biddulph of Rock Sound said it was the amalgamation of all of Rise Against's previous material. [11] Biddulph wrote how the album featured the "pressing riffs" of The Sufferer & the Witness (2006) mixed with the pop punk sound of Appeal to Reason (2008). [11] Max Qayyum of Punknews.org disagreed with this view, and said The Black Market was the greatest departure from the band's original sound, and that it had a distinct rock sound when compared to the band's previous material. [12] The album's lyrics are thematically introspective, and often focus on dark subject matter. [13] This is reflected in the album's title, which was inspired by the "marketplace of emotions" McIlrath had to sift through to write the lyrics. [4]
The first song on The Black Market, "The Great Die-Off", begins with instrumentation on a violin before transitioning into a fast guitar section with heavy bass. According to McIlrath, the song is about "a generation's type of thinking dying off, as the people who think it die off [...] it's about bigotry, which persists as long as these people do". [4] The next two songs, "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore" and "Tragedy + Time" feature more personal messages; "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore" is about resolving to escape from the dark moments in one's life, while pop punk-driven "Tragedy + Time" tells the listener to push through hardship and that life will eventually get better. [9] [14] "The Eco-Terrorist in Me" is a short, fast-paced hardcore punk song, similar to songs from Rise Against's 2003 album Revolutions per Minute , and features screaming vocals. [12] Its lyrics advocate for environmental and animal activism via eco-terrorism. [15]
James Hickie of Kerrang! said "Sudden Life" has "arena-tantalizing melodies", and is about the fading will to live. McIlrath noted that the band experimented with the sonics on "Sudden Life", and how he felt it sounded similar to the music of U2 and Foo Fighters. [13] "A Beautiful Indifference" chastises armchair activists during Occupy movements, [1] while "Methadone" tells of a crumbling relationship. [16] The next song, "Zero Visibility", fuses classic rock riffs with numerous tempo changes. [17] [11] McIlrath said "Awake Too Long" is about taking in the negativity in the world, and the desire to "close your eyes and be ignorant to all of it". [4] The penultimate song is an acoustic ballad called "People Live Here", which references gun control and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. [13] The final song, "Bridges", "skirts between tempos and does so cleverly, maintaining energy throughout," according to Qayyum. [12]
On April 14, 2014, Rise Against posted a video on their Facebook page teasing a new album with images of the band members in-studio and the message "Coming Soon." [3] Two months later, Rise Against posted another teaser video, which revealed their seventh studio album, titled The Black Market, would be released July 15. [18] To promote the album, Rise Against embarked on world tour throughout 2014, with supporting bands Touché Amoré and Radkey for North American performances, and the bands Pennywise and Emily's Army for European performances. [19] This was followed by guest appearances on Linkin Park's The Hunting Party Tour, and a summer tour in 2015 with Killswitch Engage and Letlive. [20] [21]
In the United States, The Black Market debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and sold 53,000 copies in its first week. [22] It was their fourth consecutive album to debut in the top ten on the Billboard 200, and it spent eleven weeks on the chart. [23] Elsewhere on Billboard charts, The Black Market peaked at number one on the Top Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, and Top Hard Rock Albums charts. [24] [25] [26] On the Canadian Albums Chart, The Black Market became Rise Against's third consecutive album to peak at number one. [27] It was certified gold by Music Canada in 2014, denoting shipments of 40,000 copies. [28]
The Black Market's first single, "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore", reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, their lowest peak single since the inception of chart in 2009. [29] The single did find more success on the Alternative Songs and Mainstream Rock charts, peaking at numbers thirteen and five respectively. [30] [31] Internationally, "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore" peaked at number ninety-two on the Canadian Hot 100, [32] and number sixty-nine on Australia's Top 100 Singles Chart, Rise Against's only single to chart within the top 100 in Australia. [33] The Black Market's second single, "Tragedy + Time", did not chart on the Hot Rock Songs chart, but it did peak at number twenty-six and twenty-eight on the Alternative Songs and Mainstream Rock charts respectively. [30] [31] "The Eco-Terrorist in Me" was released as a separate 7-inch single on April 18, 2015, coinciding with Record Store Day. [34] The song featured two B-sides: the previously unreleased "About Damn Time" and "We Will Never Forget", a spoken word performance by American journalist Will Potter. [35]
Accompanying music videos were shot for the two singles. The video for "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore" features documentary-style footage of Chicago residents discussing gun violence in the city, overlaid with statistics about several acts of global violence, including the Mexican Drug War, the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, and animal poaching. [36] The "Tragedy + Time" video features the band performing amidst a series of white blocks as darkened shadows blur their image. These clips are interspersed with clips of a naked redheaded woman kneeling in front of the same blocks. [37] Rise Against also produced a video for "People Live Here" despite it not being a single. The video follows the daily lives of a businessman and a man living on low income. According to Radio.com, the video criticizes people who insulate themselves from the lives of others by remaining in their own bubble. [38]
For its 6th anniversary, the band released an expanded version of the album on July 15, 2020, which included the Japanese bonus track "Escape Artist" and the B-sides from "The Eco-Terrorist in Me" Single. [39]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 76/100 [40] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [9] |
Alternative Press | [41] |
Consequence of Sound | C+ [42] |
Exclaim! | 6/10 [16] |
Kerrang! | 5/5 [13] |
Rock Sound | 7/10 [11] |
Sputnikmusic | 3.5/5 [17] |
The Black Market was met with mostly positive reviews. On Metacritic, it scored 76/100 from 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [40] James Hickie of Kerrang! gave the album a perfect score, and called it "a magnificent wake-up call [...] one of the year's best and most intellectual records". [13] Most critics however did not give The Black Market as good of a score, but were generally positive in their opinions. AllMusic's Gregory Heaney noted that although it may not be Rise Against's best album, it was its most timeless album, and commended the more universal lyrics. [9] Ryan Bray of Consequence of Sound described The Black Market as a "healthy, mixed bag", [42] while Andy Biddulph of Rock Sound wrote "The Black Market falls into the unfortunate category of being a good album by a great band." [11] Punknews.org's May Qayyum wrote a more negative review, in which he said the album had potential but was ultimately disappointing and a misstep in the band's discography. [12]
Heaney said The Black Market's music worked in tandem with the personal lyrics, as it allowed the listener to experience other emotions besides outrage; this sentiment was shared by Hickie. [9] [13] Both Bray and Exclaim! 's Peter Sanfilippo felt the album's music did not significantly differ from the music featured on Endgame, and that Rise Against's melodic hardcore sound had grown stale. [42] [16] By contrast, the Sputnikmusic review complimented the music, and noted how musical variation in The Black Market eschewed the monotonous nature of Endgame. The reviewer ultimately said that it was Rise Against's best album since The Sufferer & the Witness. [17] Biddulph wrote the use of pop rock driven melodies "ensures they’re not at their worst, but the middling nature of this album means the Chicago veterans are certainly nowhere near their finest". [11]
Several critics appreciated the more personal lyrics, as they provided a much-needed reprieve from the aggressively political lyrics found in nearly all of the band's previous albums. [9] [11] [41] [42] Bray felt there was a "winning quality" in listening to the more personal songs as opposed to songs about failed relationships, [42] while Heaney said the more personal songs prove that "a move doesn't have to be loud to be bold". [9] Biddulph found the personal songs to be a rare glimpse of human vulnerability from Rise Against, but that they were undermined by more political songs such as "The Eco-Terrorist in Me". [11] Mischa Pearlman of Alternative Press noted how most of the lyrics were open to interpretation, and that regardless of how the listener interpreted them, they were forged with "visceral emotion". [41]
The Black Market was included in Kerrang! and Rock Sound's lists of the fifty best albums of 2014, at number six and thirty-three respectively. [43] [44]
All lyrics written by Tim McIlrath, except where noted; all music composed by Rise Against [45]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Great Die-Off" | 3:39 |
2. | "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore" | 3:59 |
3. | "Tragedy + Time" | 4:17 |
4. | "The Black Market" | 4:15 |
5. | "The Eco-Terrorist in Me" | 2:45 |
6. | "Sudden Life" | 4:08 |
7. | "A Beautiful Indifference" | 3:24 |
8. | "Methadone" | 3:48 |
9. | "Zero Visibility" | 4:38 |
10. | "Awake Too Long" | 3:11 |
11. | "People Live Here" | 4:08 |
12. | "Bridges" | 4:06 |
Total length: | 46:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
13. | "Escape Artists" | 4:02 |
Total length: | 50:20 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Escape Artists" | 4:02 | |
14. | "About Damn Time" | 3:36 | |
15. | "We Will Never Forget" | Will Potter | 6:03 |
Total length: | 59:59 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Black Market. [45]
Rise Against
Artwork
Additional musicians
| Production
|
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [28] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [66] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Siren Song of the Counter Culture is the third studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Released on August 10, 2004, it was Rise Against's first album on a major record label, after the band signed with DreamWorks Records in September 2003. The recording sessions for the album with producer Garth Richardson were mostly split between two studios in British Columbia. These sessions were marred by numerous distractions and inconveniences, such as the absorption of DreamWorks into Geffen Records, the arrival of a new guitarist, accusations of the band selling out, and the birth of lead vocalist Tim McIlrath's child.
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcore punk and melodic hardcore, Rise Against's music emphasizes melody, catchy hooks, an aggressive sound and playstyle, and rapid tempos. Lyrically, the band is known for their outspoken social commentary, covering a wide range of topics such as political injustice, animal rights, humanitarianism, and environmentalism.
The Sufferer & the Witness is the fourth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on July 4, 2006. A melodic hardcore album, it comprises thirteen tracks that focus on melody, catchy hooks, and rapid-paced tempo. Social and political issues as well as the concept of self-reflection constitute the majority of the lyrical content.
"Swing Life Away" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against. It is an acoustic ballad, with a sharp guitar sound and optimistic lyrics about daily life and the working class. The song was first included in the 2003 compilation album Punk Goes Acoustic, and was later expanded upon in the band's 2004 album Siren Song of the Counter Culture.
"Give It All" is a song by American rock band Rise Against. It was originally recorded for the 2004 compilation album Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1, while a slightly altered version appeared on the band's third studio album Siren Song of the Counter Culture later that year. It is a hardcore punk song, with lyrics that are about "being a punk rocker in today's world," according to lead vocalist Tim McIlrath. It was released as Siren Song of the Counter Culture's first single in October 2004.
Appeal to Reason is the fifth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It was released on October 7, 2008. A melodic hardcore album, Appeal to Reason marked a musical shift from the gritty hardcore punk sound that had previously defined the band's career to what some have viewed as a more radio-friendly sound, with greater emphasis on production and bigger, more anthemic choruses. The album's lyrics primarily focus on political issues in the United States, such as the Iraq War and the Bush administration.
The discography of the American punk rock band Rise Against consists of nine studio albums, two compilation album, eleven extended plays, twenty singles, four promotional singles, two documentaries, and twenty-five music videos. The band was formed in 1999, under the original name Transistor Revolt. After signing a recording contract with Fat Wreck Chords, they changed their name to Rise Against, and released The Unraveling in 2001, and Revolutions Per Minute in 2003. Rise Against switched to Geffen Records the following year, and made its major record label debut with Siren Song of the Counter Culture. In addition to becoming the band's first album to reach the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number 136, the success of the singles "Give It All" and "Swing Life Away" helped Rise Against achieve mainstream appeal.
"Savior" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against, featured on their fifth studio album Appeal to Reason (2008). In contrast to the social and political topics normally discussed in Rise Against songs, "Savior" is about forgiveness and broken relationships. It is a punk rock song, with a "frenetic pace" that John Hanson of Sputnikmusic described as reminiscent of tracks from the band's 2003 album Revolutions per Minute. It was released as Appeal to Reason's third single on June 3, 2009.
"I Was a Teenage Anarchist" is a song by the Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me!, released as the first single from their 2010 album White Crosses. The single was released as a four-track digital download through various online music stores on April 6, 2010, including the additional album track "Rapid Decompression" and two B-sides from the album's sessions, "One by One" and "Bitter Divisions". A 7" single was released on April 17 in conjunction with Record Store Day, with an acoustic version of "I Was a Teenage Anarchist" featuring as the B-side.
Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It was released on March 15, 2011, by DGC Records and Interscope Records. A melodic hardcore album, Endgame continues the trend by Rise Against towards more crisp, polished production, which began with the band's previous album Appeal to Reason. Social and political commentary constitute the majority of the lyrical content on Endgame, and a major theme revolves around the end of humanity.
"Make It Stop " is the second single from rock band Rise Against's sixth studio album, Endgame. The single was released to digital music outlets on May 30, 2011. The song hit radio stations the following day. It peaked at number six on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart and number eight on Billboard's Rock Songs chart. The song is part of the It Gets Better Project.
"Wait for Me" is a song by American rock band Rise Against, featured on their sixth studio album Endgame (2011). The song impacted radio on June 12, 2012. Written by lead vocalist Tim McIlrath, the track is notable for being one of the slower songs off the album. It was released as a promotional single in 2012, and was the final single released for Endgame. The song received positive reviews, with praise for its slower and methodical nature. It reached number 14 on the US Rock Songs chart, and was featured on the "Best Songs of the year" lists by KROQ-FM and WSUN-FM.
Long Forgotten Songs: B-Sides & Covers 2000–2013 is a compilation album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on September 10, 2013. The album comprises twenty-six lesser known Rise Against songs, primarily B-sides, covers and different versions of already existing songs by the band. The idea for the album came about when the members of Rise Against attempted to catalog their lesser known material, but came to the conclusion that there were some songs that they did not own copies of. Long Forgotten Songs peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard 200, and charted in several other countries. The album received generally favorable reviews; several critics said the covers were the best aspect of the album, and noted how many of the songs felt fully fleshed out despite being relegated to B-sides.
"I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore" is a song by American rock band Rise Against. The song was released as the lead single from their seventh album, titled The Black Market on June 10, 2014, and was sent to radio the same day. It debuted at #22 on the Alternative Songs chart and peaked at #5 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
"Tragedy + Time" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against. The song was released on October 21, 2014 as the second single from their seventh album, The Black Market. According to lead singer Tim McIlrath, its title comes from the phrase "tragedy plus time equals comedy". The song is a playable track in the video game Guitar Hero Live.
Wolves is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band Rise Against. It was released on June 9, 2017. It is their first studio album since 2004's Siren Song of the Counter Culture to be produced by the band without long time producers, Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, and their only studio album to be released through Virgin Records. The album's lead single, "The Violence", was released on April 20, 2017. Two more songs, "House on Fire" and "Welcome to the Breakdown" were released on May 19 and June 2, respectively, as pre-release buzz tracks.
When Legends Rise is the seventh studio album by American rock band Godsmack. It was released on April 27, 2018. It marks the band's first album away from heavy metal into a more hard rock sound. The album's first single, "Bulletproof", was released ahead of the album in February 2018. All four singles from the album reached number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The album became certified Gold by the RIAA in September 2021 for selling over 500,000 copies.
The Ghost Note Symphonies, Vol. 1 is a compilation album by American rock band Rise Against. It was released on July 27, 2018. The album features reimagined versions of previously released Rise Against songs, with acoustic orchestration and alternative instrumentation.
Nowhere Generation is the ninth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on June 4, 2021, on Loma Vista Recordings. It is the band's first album in four years, serving as the follow-up to 2017's Wolves. Four singles were released for the album: "Broken Dreams, Inc", "Nowhere Generation", "The Numbers", and "Talking to Ourselves". The album was produced by Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, and Chris Beeble. The album's single of the same name was released on March 18, 2021, and the album was announced that day.
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