Endgame is the 6th studio album from Chicago based punk protesters Rise Against. Now I’m not going to lie to you, I’m a massive Rise Against fan. I first heard one of their songs on the soundtrack to Tony Hawk’s Underground, one of the greatest videogame soundtracks of all time. I was instantly hooked. The track was “Like The Angel” and I have brought every album since and seen them twice. They seem to have their melodic punk formula nailed down to the ground. Pacing riffs punctuated by marching drum beats all capped off by rousing choruses, yelling inspirational lyrics, angry yet optimistic, from the top of Tim McIlrath’s lungs. I wasn’t surprised to find an Irish surname on the lead writers wikipage. They remind me, in spirit if not so much in style, of the Dropkick Murphys. They combine the sweet melody and artistic soul with the defiance and anger of a nation with a history oppression.
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The first round of bands for the Reading and Leeds festival have been announced. Headliners include Muse, My Chemical Romance, The Strokes and Pulp:
Muse
My Chemical Romance
The Strokes
Pulp
Elbow
Madness
The Streets
Thirty Seconds to Mars
The Offspring
Deftones
Rise Against
The Blackout
Jimmy Eat World
Seasick Steve
The Pigeon Detectives
Frank Turner
Friendly Fires
Enter Shikari
The Streets
Jane’s Addiction
Panic! At The Disco
Cage the Elephant
Pete Doherty
Vulture Hound Magazine 2011
