Rise Against

Rise Against are a punk/melodic hardcore band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 1999, and originally performing under the name Transistor Revolt, they released a self-produced demo entitled Transistor Revolt in 2000, a year before signing with Fat Wreck Chords to release their first two albums, The Unraveling in 2001, and Revolutions Per Minute in 2003. They later switched to Dreamworks Records and recorded their album Siren Song of the Counter Culture. However, Universal Music Group took over Dreamworks Records and Rise Against finally found themselves on Geffen Records, a Universal Music Group subsidiary, releasing Siren Song of the Counter Culture in August 2004. A re-issued version of The Unraveling was released on August 23, 2005 through Fat Wreck Chords. They released their 4th studio album entitled "The Sufferer and The Witness" on July 4th 2006.

Rise Against's original lineup consisted of Tim McIlrath (vocals and guitar), Joe Principe (bass and vocals, formerly from 88-Fingers Louie), Brandon Barnes (drums), and Mr.Precision (guitar and vocals), and recorded its debut album with renowned punk producer Mass Giorgini. Mr. Precision left the band in 2001 and was replaced by Todd Mohney, the guitarist of McIlrath's side project The Killing Tree. Shortly after the band signed with Geffen, Mohney left and was replaced by Chris Chasse. Mohney would become part of the punk supergroup The Falcon along with members from other popular Chicago punk acts, Alkaline Trio and The Lawrence Arms. After the release of the The Sufferer and The Witness, Chasse left the band due to the "overwhelming tour schedule stacked on growing pressures and demands" (he is now in the bands Last Of the Believers and Nations Afire; in his place now stands Zach Blair of Only Crime. According to a statement by McIlrath, "Yes, the Rise Against curse continues..."

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