#5: Rise Against

Simply because you can breath doesn't mean you're alive or that you really lived

Kicking off the top 5 is Rise Against. This will feature Romo's last official shout out.

Wiki Says: Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Zach Blair (lead guitar, backing vocals), Joe Principe (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Brandon Barnes (drums, percussion).

Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it released two studio albums, The Unraveling (2001) and Revolutions per Minute (2003). Both the albums met with considerable underground success and in 2003, the band signed onto the major label, Geffen.

The band's major label debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture brought the band mainstream success, producing several successful singles. The band's fourth studio album, The Sufferer & the Witness debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart and received positive reviews from critics. The band's fifth studio album Appeal to Reason was released on October 7, 2008 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. All three albums released via Geffen were certified platinum in Canada and gold in the United States. The band actively promotes animal rights and are all straight edge (excluding Barnes), PETA supporters and vegans .

Romo Says: Another band that I have yet to see live that I really must change. Rise Against is a punk band that has received a fairly decent mainstream play, particularly for the genre, and rightfully so.

Discovery: The Unraveling (2001)
Revolutions Per Minute (2003) - Favorite album all time # 16

Siren Song of the Counter Culture (2004)

The Sufferer & the Witness (2006) -Favorite album all time #11

Appeal to Reason (2008)

Other Releases: Live Fat, Die Young (2001)

Uncontrollable Fatulence (2002)

OIL: Chicago Punk Refined (2003)

Rock Against Bush vol. 1 (2004)

Making Christmas (2008)

Little Dimebags (2008)

Favorite Songs: 20. Hero of War

19. The First Drop

18. Collapse (Post Amerika)

17. Heaven Knows

16. Bricks

15. Halfway There

14. Give It All

13. State of the Union

12. Under the Knife

11. Intro/Chamber the Cartridge

10. Black Masks & Gasoline

9. The Approaching Curve

8. Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

7. Like the Angel

6. Injection - Favorite song all time #89

5. Broken English - Favorite song all time #86

4. Drones - #53

3. The Good Left Undone - #45

2. Survive - #40

1. The Dirt Whispered -#27

Years Active: 1999-Present

Seen Live: Once - November 2008 (Baltimore, MD)

Although I've only seen Rise Against once, I still consider them one of the best bands I've ever seen live. That set was just that powerful, just like the rest of their music. I chose that quote at that top of the post because it is the opening to their second album (the first I bought back in May of 2004), Revolutions Per Minute. I can still remember putting that CD on and hanging out in my room. From the first time I heard those words to this day, I still get a little chill, it is just that powerful of an album. Who cares if they're on a major label, they still play great punk and keep to their roots both musically and politically. I've always loved how Tim can mix soft vocals with hardcore punk screams with ease in theirs songs. A great showcase of that is that "Swing Life Away" and "State of the Union" are on the same album. Listening to them separate you'd never know they were by the same band.

Up Next: Probably the most talented band that I listen to.