Rise Against – Prayer Of The Refugee
There probably isn't much I can tell you about Rise Against you don't already know; the Chicago based melodic hardcore quartet is quickly becoming one of the most talked about acts in alternative music. The release of the band's fourth album 'The Sufferer and the Witness' sees Rise Against's sound mature and become more accessible to the listener, the second single from the album, 'Prayer of the Refugee,' is no different.
Like many Rise Against songs, 'Prayer of the Refugee' begins deceptively gentle, a simplistic opening riff and a soft chugging bassline complement Tim McIlrath's heartfelt vocals as he delves into this politically charged anthem. Predictably, the song doesn't stay gentle and before too long the listener is greeted with a scream as the song progresses into a blistering chorus. The remainder of the song continues in this vein with an unrelenting fury, stopping for a suitably melodic guitar solo towards the end.
Lyrically, 'Prayer of the Refugee' is a rousing anthem calling for the mistreated members society's lower echelons to stand their ground. Rise Against manage to accomplish this without sounding peachy, corny or clueless and have succeeded in creating a song that can make people think whilst banging their heads to the tune.
All in all, a great track from a great band.