Rise Against
This Is Noise

THE REVIEW

It's known that the job of cutting and sewing that goes behind the tracklist of a final album often involves eliminations often motivated more by reasons of space and/or opportunity, rather than mere qualitative judgment. Leftovers and b-sides that usually end up in a dark corner of a band's discography, except to become handy for an interlude or a transitional work, a sort of bridge to the next studio album, to appease the wait of die-hard fans.

And it is precisely from these premises that "This Is Noise" should be analyzed, a 5-track EP in the U.S. market version released in July 2007, straddling "The Suffer And The Witness" and the little less than serene thunderbolt that was "The Appeal to Reason."

The EP is composed of three covers, two of which are from the early Black Flag ("Fix Me" and "Nervous Breakdown", songs dated 1978) here interpreted in a very faithful version to the original, with a sound more abrasive than usual and "Boys No Good" by Lifetime, a melodic hardcore band.

However, attention should be focused on those two unreleased tracks, previous leftovers from the two previous albums, which give value and justification to this EP. We are talking about the beautiful "But Tonight We Dance" where the contrast between an almost subdued verse and a chorus sung at the top of the lungs by Tim McIlrath stands out, showcasing the warmth and passion of his voice.

The second is "Obstructed View" taken from the "Siren Song Of The Counter Culture" sessions, which travels at double speed compared to the previous one, engaging and making the unsuspecting listener jump.

The listening of "This Is Noise" is recommended especially to those who have already consumed the entire discography of the band and want to add another small piece to their knowledge to discover two little hidden gems; the others must first go down the highway and only later between a "Drones" and an "Injection", take this small but interesting exit.

PS

Almost a year later, a European version of this EP was also released, with a slightly different tracklist and artwork.