Rise Against - "Make It Stop (September's Children)"

It's always darkest just before the dawn So stay awake with me, let's prove them wrong

Rating: 9/10

The catchy melodic intro opens into shocking words of death, and yet instantly decipherable is the tragic beauty of the problems that torment young people today. The song "Make it Stop" by Rise Against is a story of the struggle between life and death that encompasses simply being present in this world. The song and music video was written as a protest against the bullying of LGBT teens. Though the music video shows a journey of bullied teens struggling on the verge of suicide and resolving to live, the song can be extended as a metaphor for national and global crises, calling to question the pointlessness of it all. The song ends as a call to action: "We're calling for, insisting on, a different beat, a brand new song..." "Make it Stop (September's Children)" epitomises a beacon of hope in a dark world, bringing together poignant backing melodies with the harsh realities of the lyrics.