I think that Raised Fist might just be the most obvious band out on the market as we speak. This means that when “Sound of the Republic” starts up, individuals know what band is playing from the get-go. The blend of hardcore and punk that Raised Fist has been created the last decade or so is really mastered during this disc, and “Sound of the Republic” should be a blueprint for any bands that wish to create a catchy album that style.
It seems to me that Raised Fist are the steroid-taking older siblings of Rise Against, and this comes forth nowhere more than during tracks like “Perfectly Broken” and “Sunlight”. Raised Fist works in such a narrow band that individuals will be able to set their watches to the drum beats that the band puts out. The band is not predictable, as tracks like “Killing It” have a breakdown that is something that individuals would not expect outside acts like Disturbed and Evans Blue. Still, Raised Fist contextualizes it well and make it work without the band seeming like they are just grabbing for more in the way of radio play. When the actual music cuts off at the end of “Killing It” and all is left is the harmony of the vocals, anyone who is listening in to the disc should know why Raised Fist is such a storied band.
The title track to “Sound of the Republic” show that even old bands know how to learn new tricks; Raised Fist move further into the realm of current rock while still having the distinct vocals that individuals know. The result is some of the most spastic and eclectic rock since Primus hung up their guitars a few years back. In a sense, the title track sounds as if Deadsy did not have their heads up their collective ass and actually cut a good debut album. The band was able to throw a few more tools into their toolbox and come up with an album in “Sound of the Republic” that is as furious as anything else that comes out this year and yet still has enough room to have a catchy side that will allow new listeners to find something in Raised Fist that they can completely dig. Here’s to hoping that Raised Fist have quite a few more albums in them before they fade off into that long, cold night.
Top Tracks: Killing It, You Ignore Them All
Rating: 6.6/10
Raised Fist – Sound of the Republic / 2006 Burning Heart / 12 Tracks / http://www.raisedfist.com / http://www.burningheart.com / Reviewed 11 May 2006
[JMcQ]