The Unraveling (Rise Against album)

Rise Against was formed in 1999 after the dissolution of the Chicago punk rock band 88 Fingers Louie. Bassist Joe Principe and guitarist Dan Wleklinski were still interested in making music, and decided to start a new band. The two recruited drummer Toni Tintari, guitarist Kevin White, and lead vocalist Tim McIlrath, the former lead vocalist of the punk band Baxter.[1][2] They called themselves Transistor Revolt, and released the extended play Transistor Revolt in 2000.[3] Transistor Revolt garnered the attention of Fat Mike, the co-founder of the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords. He signed the band to a recording contract in 2000, with the stipulation they change their name; the band members ultimately decided on the name Rise Against.[3]

After signing with Fat Wreck Chords, Tintari and White left Rise Against; Tintari was replaced by Brandon Barnes shortly thereafter.[4] With a new drummer, the band members began to work on The Unraveling at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, where Principe and Wleklinski had previously recorded material for 88 Fingers Louie.[5] Recording took place over the course of five weeks, with Mass Giorgini serving as the producer, and Wleklinski serving as the assistant engineer.[6] Wleklinski later remarked on the grueling workdays: "12-hour days for 4 of those weeks, and then 22-24 hours per day during that last week of tracking. These were the times of 'If you don't play it right, you have to play it again,' not 'That was good enough, I'll edit it so it's on time.'" Wleklinski also commented that it was difficult to split his time between recording guitar parts and engineering the songs, and that during the last week he had to sleep on the studio floor.[6]

The Unraveling is primarily a melodic hardcore record,[7][8] with influences of punk rock and hardcore punk.[8][9] Shawn Merrill of Exclaim! compared the album to works by other punk rock bands like Agnostic Front, Bad Religion, Gorilla Biscuits, and Minor Threat.[10] The Unraveling begins with a quote by actor and musician Jack Black asking the listener if they "are ready to rock", which is taken from the 1996 film The Cable Guy.[9] It then transitions into the first track "Alive and Well", a fast-paced song that combines screaming vocals with melodies in the chorus.[9] Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic considers the second track, "My Life Inside Your Heart", to be the most accessible song on the album, while "Great Awakening" has a "frantic pace" with a hardcore sound.[9] The next song "Six Ways 'Til Sunday" is more inspired by punk rock, with a long closing group chant.[9]

Boy notes that tracks five through ten alternate between short hardcore songs like "The Art of Losing" and "Remains of Summer Memories", and more conventional sounding songs like "The Unraveling".[9] The eleventh track, "Everchanging", begins with minimal background music to highlight McIlrath's vocals.[9] After two more hardcore songs, "1000 Good Intentions" begins playing, which James Benwell of Drowned in Sound compared to "Everchanging".[8] Boy adds that the track is reminiscent of the sound of future Rise Against albums, with its punk base combined with more mainstream rock influence.[9] The final two tracks, "Weight of Time" and "Faint Resemblance", close the album in a "nice summation of everything that has come before them", according to Boy.[9] Lyrically, The Unraveling is intended to be thought-provoking,[9] with themes ranging from "friendships and relationships [to] religion and memories".[7]

All lyrics written by Tim McIlrath; all music composed by Tim McIlrath, Joe Principe, Dan Wleklinski, and Brandon Barnes.[18]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 2005 reissue of The Unraveling.[18]