During the recording sessions for "Siren Song of the Counter Culture", the band members became dissatisfied with the contributions from producer Garth Richardson, as he did not fully understand their musical background in punk rock. Richardson was better known for his work with heavier-sounding bands like Mudvayne and Rage Against the Machine, and as a result, the album sounded more polished and heavier than Rise Against's previous raw material. Combined with the numerous distractions and inconveniences that plagued the recording sessions, lead vocalist Tim McIlrath views "Siren Song of the Counter Culture" as the album that "got away from us". When it came time to record "The Sufferer & the Witness", the band members decided to return to Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, who produced their 2003 album "Revolutions per Minute". The members developed a strong rapport with the duo while recording that album, particularly Stevenson, whom McIlrath described as their "musical soul mate".