Fiander of PopMatters as a "musical tour de force", with a moody breakdown. With it, McIlrath wanted to write a song that showcased the conflict of interests following the September 11 attacks, between overt patriotism, and war crimes in the name of God. The eighth track, "Broken English", "switches tempo constantly", and has motivational lyrics in the chorus. McIlrath describes "Last Chance Blueprint" as the band's "escape song", while Fiander feels it is a "stock get-out-of-town tune". It contains a soundbite from the 1999 film American Beauty. "To the Core" is another short hardcore song that Greene describes as "a ferocious, fever-pitched number written and delivered with pure vitriol". McIlarth notes that "Torches" is a very different when compared to most of the band's material, due to its heavy metal-influenced intro and breakdown. The penultimate track, "Amber Changing", is more muted in its sound, and has McIlrath sing about not wanting a great moment in a relationship to end. The album ends with a hidden track, a cover of "Any Way You Want It" by Journey. The band covered the song to bring a sense of familiarity to listeners while on tour. Release and reception Fat Wreck Chords released Revolutions per Minute on April 8, 2003, in the United States on CD and LP formats. Like The Unraveling, it failed to reach any major music chart, but did reach number thirty-five on the Independent Albums chart. Promotion for the album included North American and Japan based tours with other Fat Wreck Chord bands like Anti-Flag, None More Black, and No Use for a Name, and several performances in the 2003 Warped Tour in North America. Additionally, "Like the Angel" was released as a promotional single. Revolutions per Minute was well received by music critics. Paul praised the album for its honest and personal lyrics, as well as its unique blend of hardcore punk and melodic hardcore. He concluded by declaring it one of the best albums of the year, a sentiment which was shared by The Virginian-Pilot Jeff Maisey. Greene liked the juxtaposition of impassioned and political lyrics, commenting that the album is capable of "rubbing emotions raw and minds numb". Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic felt that with Revolutions per Minute, Rise Against took their craft and musicianship more seriously. He commented that while the songs themselves do not work well individually, "the band should be given credit for how