Politically charged as always, Rise Against, tease this new single from their long-awaited LP, Nowhere Generation.
The first minute and a half of The Numbers is a scorcher. Opening with a razor-sharp riff of power chords then leading into a thunderous offbeat punk verse, the track appears to have legs. However, this is where the fun stops and those legs are amputated. Strangely, The band opt to reuse the opening riff for the chorus, and the outcome is clumsier than a drunk skateboarding toddler.
Lyrical themes of revolution and conformity are certainly nothing new for the band, but this effort really does shove it down your throat. Although not similar musically, Rage Against The Machine, provide palatable protest lyrics due to their more subliminal and sparse approach – Rise Against are so literal, it’s uneasy. A crazed street preacher could easily be spouting the same noise in a rundown high street.
Attempts at emulating their earlier hits of Satellite and Heroes of War are unsuccessful. This track is borderline self-indulgence. Sometimes a song can be overly political but the music stands it up, The Numbers is not one of them.
5/10
Rockin Reviews! 