Rise Against Ricochet
Rise Against's Ricochet pushes the band from street-level punk into arena-scaled anthems while keeping a core of political urgency and refined songwriting. Across professional reviews, critics single out charged songs like “Nod”, “Black Crown” and the title track “Ricochet” as the record's emotional and sonic center, arguing that these best songs on Ricochet make the album worth attention even when its polish occasionally tips toward pastiche.
The critical consensus — a 72.5/100 average across 6 professional reviews — frames Ricochet as a band in transition: praised for McIlrath's powerful vocals, tightened songcraft and production clarity, yet critiqued by some for formulaic turns and moments of over-slickness. Reviewers consistently highlight “Black Crown” and “Nod” for their immediacy, while “Damage Is Done” and the title track emerge as standout statements of consequence and political resistance. Several critics note a welcome sonic reinvigoration and ambition, describing the record as Rise Against moving toward arena rock without fully abandoning punk rock roots.
Nuance matters in these professional reviews. Some voices celebrate the maturity and variation that allow songs like “Ricochet” and “State Of Emergency” to breathe; others find the collection occasionally constrained by familiar structures. The consensus suggests Ricochet is not a radical reinvention but a compelling, at-times brilliant chapter for a band balancing authenticity, community-minded protest and bigger production values. For readers asking "is Ricochet good?" critics generally answer yes for its best tracks, while noting the record's uneven stretches.
Below, detailed reviews unpack where Ricochet succeeds as a return to form and where it hesitates, offering context for fans weighing whether the album is worth listening to now.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Black Crown
4 mentions
"A collaboration with Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull, it’s a gut-wrenching warning against apathy as the world burns"— The Guardian
Ricochet
4 mentions
"Ricochet, the Chicago punk rockers’ 10th album, is a reminder that we are all interconnected"— Kerrang!
Damage Is Done
3 mentions
"an idea expressed more explicitly by the stark Damage Is Done"— Kerrang!
A collaboration with Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull, it’s a gut-wrenching warning against apathy as the world burns
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Nod
I Want It All
Ricochet
Damage Is Done
Us Against The World
Black Crown
Sink Like A Stone
Forty Days
State Of Emergency
Gold Long Gone
Soldier
Prizefighter
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 6 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Rise Against's Ricochet trades the band's old breakneck melodic hardcore for towering, arena-sized hooks, and the best songs prove the swap worthwhile. The reviewist singles out “Sink Like a Stone” and “Nod” as perfect vehicles for Tim McIlrath's righteous anger, and praises “Black Crown” as a gut-wrenching collaboration that sounds "like a million bucks." While tracks such as “I Want It All” and “Gold Long Gone” sometimes tip into pastiche or over-slickness, the album's high-sheen craft and bombast make its strongest moments feel enormous and earned. This is an album whose best tracks show Rise Against balancing blood-and-guts emotion with gleaming production to striking effect.
Key Points
-
Black Crown is the best song because its collaboration and emotional heft make it feel "gut-wrenching" and impeccably produced.
-
The album's core strengths are its ability to marry blood-and-guts emotion with high-sheen production and arena-sized hooks.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rise Against's Ricochet is strongest when it leans into big, anthemic moments - songs like “Nod” and “Black Crown” show the band hungry and creatively reinvigorated. The reviewer's ear is caught by the explosive chorus of “I Want It All” and the slow-burn build of the title track “Ricochet”, both singled out for their cinematic scope. Praise centres on Tim McIlrath's beyond powerful vocal delivery and a newfound refinement that lets these best tracks breathe. Ultimately the critic positions Ricochet as Rise Against's most versatile album to date, with those highlighted songs serving as clear standouts.
Key Points
-
The best song(s) stand out for their explosive choruses, powerful vocal delivery, and cinematic builds.
-
The album's core strengths are refined songwriting, versatile arrangements, and renewed creative ambition.
Themes
Ke
Critic's Take
In a register that mixes moral urgency with weary reflection, Rise Against deliver on Ricochet with songs that underline interconnectedness and consequence. The review singles out “Damage Is Done” as the most explicit statement of resigned resistance, and the title track “Ricochet” is implied as central to the record's themes. Hickie’s prose is measured but sharp, noting a melancholy that makes these the best songs on Ricochet because they crystallize the album’s argument rather than merely skirl around it.
Key Points
-
The best song is "Damage Is Done" because it explicitly articulates the album's resigned, political melancholy.
-
The album's core strength is its consistent theme of interconnectedness and moral urgency delivered in a measured, melancholic tone.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rise Against’s Ricochet finds its strongest moments in charged tracks like “Gold Long Gone”, “Damage Is Done” and “Us Against The World” where their political bite and instrumental clarity cohere. The reviewer’s voice notes the band’s knack for catchy hooks and incisive politics yet often criticises the album for feeling familiar and thematically scattered. Production polish elevates songs such as “Damage Is Done” and “Black Crown”, showing why these are among the best songs on Ricochet even if the record rarely risks enough to transcend its formula. Overall, the best tracks are praised for technical execution and urgency, but the reviewer deems the record constrained by cliché and a lack of bold vision.
Key Points
-
The best song excels because production clarity and visceral instrumentation let its urgency land, especially on "Damage Is Done".
-
The album’s core strengths are political conviction and polished technical execution, but these are undermined by formulaic songwriting and clichéd metaphors.
Themes
Critic's Take
On this episode the focus is on Rise Against and their forthcoming Ricochet, with particular attention to the latest single “Nod”. The conversation feels warm and reflective, dwelling on punk beginnings, human connection and what fans can expect from songs like “Nod” rather than track-by-track critique. It reads as an anticipatory primer for listeners searching for the best songs on Ricochet - chiefly the single “Nod” - rather than a full appraisal of the album.
Key Points
-
The single “Nod” is positioned as the standout and a preview of the album.
-
The album leans on punk roots, human connection and an evolving message rather than radical stylistic shifts.
Themes
Critic's Take
I found on Rise Against's Ricochet a return to better songwriting and earnest vocals, where tracks like “Ricochet” and “State Of Emergency” feel like the strongest proof the band has matured. The review voice here is reflective and slightly rueful - noting the old political punk bite has softened but been replaced by space, timing and variation that serve the songs. This is a record where Tim's vocals are once again passionate and where the best songs on Ricochet underline that regained vigor. If listeners ask "best tracks on Ricochet," point to the title track and the rousing “State Of Emergency” as the clearest sign the band is back to writing with purpose.
Key Points
-
The title track “Ricochet” epitomizes the album's regained songwriting and vocal passion.
-
Ricochet's core strengths are mature songwriting, earnest vocals, and better variation and timing across songs.