Since forming in Chicago in 1999, rock powerhouse Rise Against have carved out a fierce and loyal global following with their anthemic choruses and unapologetic activism. Now, two decades and nine records deep, Rise Against are gearing up to release their tenth studio album, Ricochet, out August 15. Taking their sound to a whole new level, Ricochet is an explosive record. Ahead of the release, I caught up with lead singer Tim McIlrath to dive into the heart of Ricochet and reflect on the band’s legacy.
With Ricochet being the first new release in over four years, this marks the biggest gap between Rise Against records. “Some of that was COVID-induced”, McIlrath explains, “we had made our last record and finished it right as COVID happened. And so we had to sit on it for a couple years before we could really get it out and then finally get to all the corners of the world and tour. And then when we finished all that, it was obviously just exhausting. We took a little time and then we started working on this record meaningfully, probably as early as like 2023.”
With their ninth studio album, Nowhere Generation, colliding with the height of the pandemic, this album release cycle has been like a breath of fresh air. “It was different,” McIlrath says of their experience recording Ricochet. “Joe and I are the only guys that live in Chicago, so we would get together and just compare notes and like put songs together and turn them into the seedlings of a song, and then we started sharing that with the producer.”
Producer Catherine Marks came into the project rather unfamiliar with Rise Against, which McIlrath describes as being advantageous to the process, going on to say, “We made six records with the same exact production team- they are like our family, it’s plug and play over there. We will probably work with them again, but this was a decision we made to intentionally go with somebody different who would see Rise Against for the first time when we played her a new song and not come with any of the baggage that we have with Rise Against.”
Last February saw Rise Against play fifteen shows in Australia supporting Blink-182, a highly anticipated and successful tour.
Of the tour, McIlrath says, “It was really inspiring. I had only known Blink in passing, from some festivals, so that was our first time really hanging out with them. I found them to be just amazing people backstage, on stage, same dudes. I loved their dynamic. It was inspiring to be with this band that had been relevant in so many decades, you know what I mean? There’s just no reason why Blink should be the biggest band in the world today, but they still are, you know?…They’ve had a trajectory, it’s gone up and down, and it was inspiring to see that you’re not subject to that trajectory. You can turn around and become the biggest pop punk band in 2025. That was really cool to watch that happen, because I think even they underestimated the demand in Australia and I don’t think they realised that there was such an appetite for this music and I was blown away by those shows and just how people were connecting with this band. People that were probably born in like 2010 were connecting with this band, that’s really special when you can do that.”
Listening to Ricochet, the first thing that stood out to me was how cinematic the record felt and I couldn’t help but wonder what the visuals would look like. Fast forward to the release of their single “I Want It All” and I wasn’t let down. An ode to Sisyphus, the video features a person carrying a cube up a never-ending staircase. McIlrath shares that the track was sent to multiple artists who then pitched their ideas, and the video itself was filmed in Columbia. “I felt like that was such a great metaphor for the ideas behind “I Want It All”, just pushing and trying, with ambition and setbacks and your appetite for change or whatever it is that you’re seeking. And then that job is never really done.”
While Ricochet is full of what are sure to become fan-favourites, for McIlrath there’s a few standouts. “We just started rehearsing “Prizefighter”, which is a great song that I love on the record and it’s come to life in this new way live. We haven’t played it live yet but as we rehearse backstage and stuff, I’m watching all the guys in my band really take a bite out of it. And the title track, “Ricochet”, I think is a different vibe for Rise Against, so I’m curious to put that into a set. It’s one thing to play these songs in a vacuum but when it’s the eighth song into an eighteen-song set that’s when you see how it lives with the rest of your songs, but then also with your audience and all that is something that’s interesting to me so I can’t wait to put all that together.”
As Rise Against prepare to launch Ricochet into the world, it’s clear the band are still evolving whilst staying true to the heart of what’s always driven them. With new perspectives in the studio, renewed inspiration from the road, and a hunger to keep pushing forward, Ricochet marks both a continuation and a reinvention.
Ricochet is out Friday 15th August. Get all the links HERE.
