Following a successful run on the 2009 Taste of Chaos Tour, Pierce The Veil began workshopping demos and recording new material for what would become their second studio album Selfish Machines. Vocalist VIc Fuentes described this new album as “completely inspired by our fans” in a 2009 interview with AbsolutePunk, but also expressed uncertainty if the album would be released in late 2009. It was reported that the drum tracks were completed in one day, but the vocals and keyboard needed extra time to be recorded (and luckily, that extra time did the band significant favors). They released “The Boy Who Could Fly” on MySpace on May 10, 2010 as a way to get their fans excited for their new music. Selfish Machines was officially released on June 22, 2010 and although it had mixed reviews at the time, the growth from A Flair For The Dramatic was evident and celebrated.
Most songs on Selfish Machines were written solely by Fuentes. A few tracks were co-written with former A Day To Remember guitarist Tom Denney, and “Besitos” was co-written with Dave Yaden. Fuentes has described the theme and lyricism of this album as the desire for someone to love you and the inevitable thoughts and feelings of desperation that come with it. This theme shines through each song in its own unique way, but lead single “Caraphernelia” is the best example of the message this album is trying to convey. The song is about a former girlfriend who left her stuff (paraphernalia, if you will) at Fuentes’ house and how the pieces of their relationship can be seen in the items she left. A Day To Remember vocalist Jeremy McKinnon is featured in the chorus and the bridge screaming the most iconic part of the song, which is the perfect way to show how this relationship affected Fuentes and how he will never be able to forget what they had.
Fuentes holds true to the fact that this album is for the fans by writing “I Don’t Care If You’re Contagious” in honor of a fan who lost their partner in a tragic accident. While not a traditional love song, the lyrics are absolutely beautiful and depict a story of the partner who passed away watching over their love and that even the afterlife can’t separate them. Another track that has a specific storyline is “Million Dollar Houses (The Painter).” Fuentes shared with Altpress that the song is about his parents sticking together when times and finances can get tough, something that all listeners can empathize with. Unfortunately, this track was the one most talked about among critics as they thought the autotune used was a little too experimental for a band that was still trying to find their groove. Personally, I disagree with the critics here and find the electronic sounds to be a positive for the song as it makes the track a unique addition to Pierce The Veil’s catalog. 15 years later, the themes present in this album are as prevalent as ever and it remains a classic in their discography. We can all relate to trying to hold on to a relationship that is doomed and the heavy emotions that come along with that.
Pierce The Veil is currently on their I Can’t Hear You World Tour, celebrating all of their previous albums and their new work in one amazing production. I was lucky enough to catch their sold out show at Madison Square Garden, and I encourage all of you reading this to go see them before the tour concludes at the end of 2025.
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