snare or toms, or some big crashes." The band members have noted the influence of several punk bands, in particular Black Flag and Minor Threat. McIlrath commented: "We're emulating Minor Threat and Black Flag. Who knows, maybe if Ian MacKaye was wearing eyeliner then I would be." Other bands that have influenced Rise Against include 7 Seconds, AFI, Bad Brains, Bad Religion, Cave In, Dead Kennedys, Fugazi, Jawbreaker, Los Crudos, Nirvana, Pennywise, Rage Against the Machine, Ramones, Refused, and Social Distortion. During the early part of its career, Rise Against's music was characterized by a gritty combination of hardcore punk and melodic hardcore. The Unraveling accentuated a raw punk sound, while Revolutions per Minute featured an overall darker tone. According to Principe: "The Unraveling was more of us just trying to figure out how we functioned as a band and what type of band we wanted to be. It all just came together with [Revolutions per Minute], my songwriting style and Tim's, it really meshes well together and I think it shows on that record. Although this darker tone carried into Siren Song of the Counter Culture, McIlrath specially mentioned that The Sufferer & the Witness was an attempt to return to Rise Against's punk roots. Corey Apar of AllMusic wrote "[The Sufferer & the Witness] is basically one shout-along, mosh-worthy song after another". In early Rise Against songs, McIlrath would often shift between clean vocals and screaming vocals. With the release of Appeal to Reason, Rise Against's music took a noticeable turn toward a more accessible and radio-friendly sound, with greater emphasis on production value. The New York Times reviewer Jon Pareles felt Appeal to Reason was more tune-oriented than the band's previous material, while Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic wrote how Endgame was "slickly produced to enhance the melodic nature of songs". Principe believes the shift in sound resulted from the longevity of the Rise Against. He explained that the band members grew as musicians, and wanted to challenge themselves with new musical directions. For example, at the insistence of Blair, Rise Against began to incorporate more guitar solos into their music. McIlrath's screaming vocals became less prevalent in Appeal to Reason, a trend that would continue in subsequent albums. Lyrics Rise Against is known for their outspoken social commentary, which often permeates their lyrics. Throughout the years, the band has discussed a wide range of topics, including animal