finished recording Endgame

Rise Against finished recording their sixth studio album, Endgame , in January 2011, after recording some last-minute guest vocals. The lyrics of the album focus on real world events, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill . According to McIlrath, although the lyrics discuss grim topics, they actually take on a positive view and were written from the perspective of: “What if the place on the other side of this transition is a place we’d all rather be living in?” On January 12, 2011, Rise Against announced the release date of Endgame as March 15, 2011. Although Spin Magazine labeled Endgame as a concept album , on January 7, 2011, McIlrath tweeted a clarifying message stating that “the record is not a concept record and, fret not, has absolutely nothing to do with the Dixie Chicks .” The first single from the album, ” Help Is on the Way “, debuted on KROQ on January 17. A second song from the album, “Architects”, was debuted and released digitally on February 15. As a promotion effort, the band embarked on a short tour of South America in February and then a month-long tour of Europe in March. Upon returning to the United States, the band announced a U.S. spring tour with Bad Religion and Four Year Strong .