Interview by Angela Croudace
After more than 20 years of amplifying voices for justice, punk veterans Rise Against are returning with Ricochet, their tenth studio album, set for release in August. Speaking from Sweden, frontman Tim McIlrath reflects on what hitting double digits means for a band that's never been afraid to stand for something. "We've ticked a lot of the boxes," he says. "Now what is there left to do?"
The answer wasn't about making a statement but following instinct this time. "It wasn't about checking boxes," McIlrath explains. "It was more like, what are you feeling right now? Just capture that." Ricochet emerged less from one defining event and more from the quiet, collective reckoning of a post-pandemic world.
"We made it through that crazy time… and now what's next?" he asks. "We learned a lot—about ourselves, society, misinformation, and how unprepared we really were." That mix of reflection, uncertainty, and cautious hope flows through the record's political and personal themes.
Rise Against has never shied from speaking truth to power, but McIlrath admits that the landscape has shifted. "I used to assume we were always playing to a like-minded crowd," he says, going on to recall the first time the band received death threats. "Now I know better. The world is more polarized—even within families. But music can be that rare space where we communicate again."
It was inspirational to hear someone so committed to change still speaking with clarity and purpose after two decades, sure of where he stands and genuinely wanting to make a difference for the better. Tim reflected on the Chicago punk rock scene of the '90s, noting how many bands and acquaintances from that era—such as Fall Out Boy and Alkaline Trio—advocated for change in many ways. He spoke about how exciting and meaningful it was to come up in such a vibrant and message-driven music scene.
Newer acts like Spiritual Cramp and L.S. Dunes continue to fuel his creative fire, reminding him of Rise Against's early days in the hardcore scene. That DIY spirit, where action trumps permission, still drives him.
Burnout, he admits, happens. "But then I get on stage and see people halfway across the world resonating with what we're singing about," he says. "And I remember—we're not alone. There are more of us than there are of them. We just need to be louder."
As for Australia? "We're conspiring as we speak," he teases. "It's a priority—we just need to lock it in."
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