Over the past two decades, Winnipeg crushers Comeback Kid have staked out a place as a fixture in the country's hardcore scene, the aggression of their music contrasted by a reliable, workmanlike dependability in their output.
"As a hardcore band, especially for vocalists, we often times rely on the crowd reaction to gauge how hype the song is," the band's Andrew Neufeld reflects on his years as the band's frontman. "We're gonna need a hook and most of the time some sing alongs and hopefully a groovy hard part to really heighten the senses."
With the band issuing a new EP, Trouble, on March 15 via New Damage Records, Neufeld picked the five best songs from the band's catalogue. Although he doesn't like to rank in terms of quality — which is why these five are presented chronologically — he picked songs "based on how good they feel to play live, how well they are received by our audience, and what emotions the songs conjure up for me."
"False Idols Fall"
Wake the Dead (2005)
This is a staple for CBK. This is often the first song that we play live in a set — and if not, it goes second a lot. I was listening to a lot of American Nightmare when we wrote this song and admittedly that was a big influence in the style and song structure that we landed on this back in 2002 when we wrote it. Our old singer Scott's accidental melody that he puts on the "chorus" on "All my heroes are dead" is brilliant. The whole song is just filled with energy and I feel gives an exciting jumpstart to a Comeback Kid listen.
"Wake the Dead"
Wake the Dead (2005)
Well, if you know Comeback Kid, you know this song, or maybe the other way around! Not many bands in our genre are able to have a song that is indeed bigger that the band itself. This song has transcended our career and has helped bring us to places that we may never have been able to reach without it like video games, sports games and pretty much ensuring that every show, good or bad, will have a crazy crowd reaction for at least one song. I hope to write one that surpasses it one day, though!
"G.M. Vincent & I"
Symptoms + Cures (2010)
This is a straight-up festival song. Gang vocals all through the choruses. It was written to be anthemic, triumphant and to inspire a feeling of celebration. It's a straight-up punk singalong. I remember seeing Dropkick Murphys play "For Boston" at a festival in Worcester back in the day. Just opening up a fast chorus with the crew. That's what inspired this.
Lyrically, it's about an accident I was in back in 2008 when CBK was touring with a band called Grave Maker. Myself and my friend Matthew Vincent were riding with GM one night and the van flipped down a hill close to Revelstoke three to four times. Hence the name "G.M. Vincent & I." Matthew's body was stuck underneath the van for about an hour and other members were injured quite badly as well. Though we all lived to tell the story, and even continued on said tour. We will always have that memory and trauma in our hearts, but we will keep going and keeping passing by places where tragedy happens. It's a bit of a tearjerker for us as well.
"Absolute"
Outsider (2017)
When our guitar player Jeremy showed me the intro riff, I knew it was a standout immediately. Probably the hardest and catchiest intro/breakdown that we've had with this band. Lyrically, it definitely hits a nerve, personally, and I've found myself with tears performing this song in different parts of the world because it really talks about a reckless style of leaving important things in your life behind and making those difficult decisions concrete.
Oh shit, and I almost forgot to mention that the maniac genius Devin Townsend guests on this one, and his part is pretty damn cool.
"Crossed"
Heavy Steps (2022)
One of the newer songs we have from our LP Heavy Steps, this is one I always enjoy playing live, and I love the flow and cadence I get to sing on it. We had Joe from Gojira do guest vocals on the choruses, and his voice acts as kind of an evil "overlord" figure or an overarching presence throwing the song's protagonist into a black hole. It's one of the bouncier tracks that we have, and I think it really paints an interesting picture of someone losing sight and crossing over to the "other" side — hence, "Crossing into the void."
