Rise Against

The American punk rock band Rise Against was formed in 1999 in Chicago, IL. Rise Against is known for their activism in Amnesty International and PETA. All members of this band are animal rights enthusiasts and vegetarians. The current lineup is as follows: Tim McIlrath (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Brandon Barnes (drums and percussion), Joe Principe (bass guitar), and Zach Blair (lead guitar, backing vocals). Fat Wreck Chords signed Rise Against in the first few years after formation. They released studio albums, "The Unraveling" (2001) and "Revolutions per Minute" (2003). Later in 2003 they signed with Geffen. They became well known with the release of their third album entitled, "Siren Song of the Counter Culture". Their fourth album, "The Sufferer and the Witness" debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart. "Appeal to Reason" was the band's fifth album which debuted at position three on the Billboard top 200. Every album release by Geffen were all gold in the United States and platinum in Canada. March 15, 2011, Rise Against released their sixth studio album, "Endgam".  This band's sound has been labeled as melodic hardcore, punk rock, and hardcore punk. In 2007 Rise Against began endorsing a new line of vegan Van shoes. They received a lot of controversy about endorsing a product that was manufactured in sweat shops. They quickly addressed this matter by stating that Vans shoes follow strict guidelines designed to protect their workers. Rise Against is currently on a worldwide tour beginning on March 17, 2012, and ending on July 9, 2012. In last few dates of this tour Rise Against is performing in the Vans Warped Tour.