I don’t care what popular opinion says, I’m not a fan of this band or this album. Yeah, the guitars might be ridiculously fast in some parts; yeah, they might be masters of their instruments and have a deep sense of who they are and where they want to go musically; sure, their last album MCMLXXXV (1985) sold over 75,000 copies… but I just don’t get it.
Listening to The Comfort of Home I find myself searching for substance. I don’t hear a single note that strikes me in any way or makes me feel one ounce of emotion or movement. The only thing that impresses me is the guts it took for Rufio to openly attack the scene that has brought them so much success.
In track three, “A Simple Line,” they boast their frustrations with the scene through the lyrics, “Is anybody listening? Our ears deceive / How easily that we believe the hype machine / The label means everything / It’s all for show / I wanna hear the awful screams / Everything contrived and laughable.”
Even though the sarcasm is laid on pretty thick in these lyrics, it’s like they’re making fun of the fact that they’ve been successful at all. The chorus reiterates a message that’s somewhat redundant in today’s music scene, which reminds us to “Listen with your ears, not your eyes.”
If that’s the case, I encourage anyone who picks up this album to do just that. Or, if you happen to be attending the Warped tour, save your money on the album and wait until you can hear them live to judge for yourselves.
