Crafting socially conscious anthems, Rise Against quickly won a devoted underground following. Inspired by the pioneers of melodic hardcore and skate punk—including Bad Religion and Dag Nasty—the Chicago outfit released two LPs on Fat Wreck Chords before signing to a major label for '04's Siren Song of the Counter Culture. Two years later, the group finally broke through to the mainstream with '06's surprise hit, The Sufferer and The Witness. Regardless of their success, their sound remained rooted in the genre that first brought them acclaim.