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.
Scars
The Suicide Machines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What we'll become full of hatred full of shame
Once was a face now is only just a name
The gift of life that we were treating like a game then
Something else dies inside me stripped away by another act of violence
Don't try to look cause you won't find me when I'm not there
And the friends that we lose - The can never be replaced
Tell me what its going to take - And how many have to die
Till we put away our hate - And we open up our eyes
Sixteen years old when I lost my first friend
I tried to teach a broken heart how to bend
Twenty four and it happened yet again
More broken hearts is it ever going to end- cause...
Something else dies inside me stripped away by another act of violence
Don't try to look cause you won't find me when I'm not there
And the scars that we wear - They will never go away
And the friends that we lose - The can never be replaced
Tell me what its going to take - And how many have to die
Till we put away our hate - And we open up our eyes
God damn this feeling don't want to feel this again
My heart is bleeding your hate has taken my friend
Twenty two passed away before his time
Too quick to use our fists instead of our minds
So Concerned with what's yours and what is mine
Well maybe we can learn to love this time- cause...
If something else dies inside me - I'll run away yeah
You're never going to find me - The things I see always remind me -
Of how unfair everything is
Something else dies inside me stripped away by another act of violence
Don't try to look cause you won't find me when I'm not there
And the scars that we wear - They will never go away
And the friends that we lose - The can never be replaced
Tell me what its going to take - And how many have to die
Till we put away our hate - And we open up our eyes
Until we open up our eyes - Until we open up our eyes - Until we open up our eyes
Tell me what it's going to take - And how many have to die
The Suicide Machines' "Scars" is a powerful, unflinching critique of violence and hatred in society. The lyrics describe the numbness and desensitization that can occur when violence becomes too commonplace. The opening lines set an ominous tone, with the singer observing that "lately things they do not feel the same" and wondering what will become of a society "full of hatred full of shame." The metaphor of faces becoming names highlights the dehumanizing nature of violence and the loss of individuality it can cause.
The chorus is a powerful indictment of the toll that violence takes on individuals and communities. The scars that we carry from violent experiences will never go away, and the friends we lose can never be replaced. The singer pleads for a change, asking "Tell me what it's going to take - and how many have to die - Till we put away our hate - And we open up our eyes." The repeated refrain of "Until we open up our eyes" serves as a call to action for listeners to recognize the harm caused by violence and work to create a more peaceful world.
The verses provide poignant examples of the impact of violence on individuals. The singer describes losing friends at a young age and trying to "teach a broken heart how to bend." The repetition of "something else dies inside me" emphasizes the emotional damage caused by violence. The final verse offers a glimmer of hope, acknowledging that it is not too late to learn how to love and to overcome the cycle of violence and hatred.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately things they do not feel the same
Recently, life has lost its luster and everything seems dull and different than before.
What we'll become full of hatred full of shame
If we continue on this path, we will turn into bitter, angry people who are full of self-loathing.
Once was a face now is only just a name
People are becoming more and more anonymous due to violence and hatred, and individuals are losing their unique identities.
The gift of life that we were treating like a game then
Instead of cherishing and appreciating the preciousness of life, we were carelessly treating it like a game.
And the scars that we wear - They will never go away
The emotional and physical wounds that we have sustained will never truly leave us, no matter how much time has passed.
And the friends that we lose - The can never be replaced
Losing a friend due to senseless hate and violence is irreplaceable and can never be undone.
Tell me what its going to take - And how many have to die
We need to seriously reflect on how much violence and hate it will take before we make a change and start treating each other with kindness and respect.
Till we put away our hate - And we open up our eyes
We must stop hate from ripping us apart and start being conscious of our actions and how we are treating others.
Sixteen years old when I lost my first friend
At the young age of sixteen, the singer lost his friend to an act of violence, which was a traumatic experience.
I tried to teach a broken heart how to bend
The singer tried to offer support and guidance to his friend during a time of heartbreak and despair.
Twenty four and it happened yet again
The singer lost another friend to violence at the age of twenty-four, showing that this tragic cycle continues to happen as we get older.
More broken hearts is it ever going to end- cause...
The trend of broken hearts and lost lives seems to be continuing without end, prompting the question if it will ever come to an end.
God damn this feeling don't want to feel this again
The singer is fed up with the overwhelming pain and sadness that comes with losing a friend to violence and hate.
My heart is bleeding your hate has taken my friend
The singer's heart is heavy and breaking due to the hate that led to the death of his friend, which is an injustice that he cannot shake off.
Twenty two passed away before his time
Another one of the singer's friends passed away from violence at the young age of twenty-two, which is a tragic loss.
Too quick to use our fists instead of our minds
As humans, we tend to react with violence before thinking things through, which causes unnecessary pain and destruction.
So Concerned with what's yours and what is mine
We are too preoccupied with material possessions and self-interest, losing sight of the bigger picture and how our actions affect others.
Well maybe we can learn to love this time- cause...
Perhaps if we start making a conscious effort to love and show kindness to one another, we can break the cycle of violence and hate.
Until we open up our eyes - Until we open up our eyes - Until we open up our eyes
It is imperative that we open up our eyes to the injustices and hatred that are being committed around us, in order to make a change and start treating one another humanely.
Tell me what it's going to take - And how many have to die
We must keep questioning what it will take to change our ways, and how many more people have to lose their lives before we start making a difference.
If something else dies inside me - I'll run away yeah
The singer will no longer be able to handle the emotional toll of losing friends to hate and violence, and may retreat from society altogether.
You're never going to find me - The things I see always remind me - Of how unfair everything is
The singer feels defeated by the unfairness of life, and will dissociate from society as a result of the inhumane events that plague the world.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TORBJOERN BOEVIK, LARS HENDRIK OLAUSSON, CHRISTIAN SMEDSTROEM, ANDERS WENANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind