1996-2001: Hollywood Records years
In 1995 the band signed to Hollywood Records, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. 1996 saw the release of their first album, Destruction by Definition. Its blend of punk rock and ska brought the national attention in the midst of the mid-1990s punk rock mainstream revival. The single "No Face" became a minor hit on modern rock radio stations and the album was supported through extensive touring across the United States. They released a follow-up in 1998 entitled Battle Hymns, which continued their ska punk style while incorporating more aggressive elements of hardcore punk, with nearly all of its songs lasting under two minutes in length.
Following the release of Battle Hymns Grant left the band. He went on to play with numerous groups including Thoughts of Ionesco, The Vandals, face to face, and Telegraph before finding a permanent position in the Alkaline Trio. He was replaced by Erin Pitman for some touring before new permanent drummer Ryan Vandeberghe joined. In 2000 this lineup released The Suicide Machines, a more pop rock oriented effort that moved away from the ska influences of their earlier releases. They received some radio and video play for the single "Sometimes I Don't Mind" and performed on the Warped Tour that Summer. In 2001 they released Steal This Record, which continued their exploration of pop punk style while mixing in elements of their earlier ska punk and hardcore albums.
2002-2005: Side One Dummy years
Following touring in support of Steal This Record bassist Nunley left The Suicide Machines to start his own band, Blueprint 76, and was replaced by Rich Tschirhart. The band also ended their contract with Hollywood Records, fulfilling their contractual obligations by releasing the compilation album The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines. They then moved to the independent label Side One Dummy Records. Their next album A Match and Some Gasoline, released in 2003, found the band abandoning the pop experimentations of their previous two albums and returning more to the ska punk and hardcore styles of their earlier years. They also began to explore sociopolitical themes in songs such as "Did You Ever Get a Feeling of Dread?" and "Your Silence," which were critical of President George W. Bush's administration, its response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They toured internationally in support of the album and again performed on the Warped Tour.
In 2005 the band released the album War Profiteering is Killing Us All, which continued their political themes by openly attacking the Bush White House, the continuation of the Iraq War, and conservative Republicanism. Navarro also launched his own record label, Noise Riot Records, and released On the Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995, a compilation of the band's early EPs, singles, and demos.
2006: Breakup and post-Suicide Machines activity
In 2006, while touring in support of War Profiteering is Killing Us All, the band abruptly broke up. Explanations given by the band members for this included Vandeberghe's desire to take a break from touring, which he did while friend Steve McCrumb filled for a performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on May 11. A tour of Mexico had been planned to follow this, and Navarro had suggested that the band perform its final shows that Christmas. However, interpersonal tensions came to a head after the Troubadour show when Lukacinsky refused to finish the tour. Lukacinsky himself further elaborated that the band had been planning to break up for some time.
Following the band's breakup, Navarro and Vandeberghe continued working with Left in Ruin, a band they had started as a Suicide Machines side project and had worked on and off with for almost 6 years. Vandeberghe also joined the new band Hifi Handgrenades. Lukacinsky, meanwhile, started his own band Bayonetting the Wounded. Navarro is currently fronting Hellmouth. Tschirhart is in The A-Gang.
High Anxiety
The Suicide Machines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well it's the high anxiety I'm a victim of
Society high anxiety I'm a victim of society
High anxiety it's my high anxiety getting to the
Best of me
Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna explode and
When I'm approaching total overload I know that
'Cause I can feel it coming
[Chorus]
This time I feel like I'm gonna die cold sweat the
Fear is paralyzing you know I wish that this was
Over and done heart pounds I can feel it escalating
[Chorus]
I don't know why sometimes I wake up in
The middle of the night I don't know why I gasp for
Breath I'm really feeling like I'm on the brink
Of death I wish I could get this crisis under
Control then I could feel some kind of closure
I feel this could go on and on without end I guess
I'll just have to ride it out 'cause
[Chorus: x2]
The Suicide Machines's song High Anxiety is a raw and honest portrayal of the crippling effects of anxiety. The chorus repeats the phrase "high anxiety" to describe the condition's overwhelming and all-encompassing nature. The singer identifies as a victim of society, struggling with a condition that is not always understood or accepted by those around him.
The first verse describes the overwhelming feeling of anxiety building up until it feels like an explosion might be imminent. The singer knows the warning signs and tries to anticipate the onset of a panic attack. The second verse depicts a particularly intense moment of panic, where the singer feels like he is going to die. He experiences physical symptoms like sweating and a racing heart.
The final verse is a more introspective look at the experience of anxiety. The singer doesn't understand why he wakes up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, but he knows the feeling of impending doom all too well. He wishes he could control the crisis, but recognizes that the only way through it is to ride it out.
Overall, High Anxiety is a powerful song that brings the listener deep into the experience of anxiety. The lyrics are honest and unapologetic, reflecting the immense struggle that millions of people face every day.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's the high anxiety I'm a victim of
I am suffering from intense nervousness and apprehension that is causing great distress
Society high anxiety I'm a victim of society
The pressures and expectations imposed on me by society are exacerbating my anxiety
High anxiety it's my high anxiety getting to the Best of me
My own anxiety is reaching its peak and causing me to feel overwhelmed
Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna explode and
At times, I experience an intense inner turmoil that makes me feel like I am about to burst
When I'm approaching total overload I know that
When I feel like I am reaching my limit, I am aware that I need to take a step back
When I'm having a panic attack to duck and cover
During a panic attack, I try to protect myself and hide from the intense feelings of anxiety
'Cause I can feel it coming
I am able to sense when a panic attack is about to occur
This time I feel like I'm gonna die cold sweat the Fear is paralyzing
On this occasion, my anxiety is so intense that I feel like I am going to die, I am sweating profusely, and I am completely immobilized by fear
you know I wish that this was Over and done heart pounds I can feel it escalating
I wish I could escape this situation, my heart is racing, and I can sense my anxiety increasing
I don't know why sometimes I wake up in The middle of the night I don't know why I gasp for Breath
I am unsure why I sometimes awaken in the middle of the night and feel as though I am unable to breathe
I'm really feeling like I'm on the brink Of death I wish I could get this crisis under Control
At times, I feel like I am on the verge of passing away, and I wish I could find a way to manage my anxiety
then I could feel some kind of closure I feel this could go on and on without end I guess I'll just have to ride it out 'cause
If I could find a way to deal with my anxiety, I might be able to find some peace of mind. However, I know that this may be something I struggle with for the rest of my life and will have to endure until it subsides on its own.
High anxiety I'm a victim of Society high anxiety It's my high anxiety getting to the Best of me
My severe anxiety, which is fueled by societal pressure, is consuming me and causing me great distress.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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