Description
Rollins Band - Come In And Burn – CD
Released on March 25, 1997, Come In and Burn is the fifth studio album by Rollins Band, led by the intense and uncompromising Henry Rollins. Following the success of Weight (1994)—which featured their biggest hit, Liar—this album saw the band continuing their signature mix of post-hardcore, alternative metal, and jazz-infused hard rock, but with an even darker, more introspective tone.
By the mid-’90s, Rollins Band had gained mainstream recognition, largely due to Weight and heavy MTV rotation. However, rather than capitalizing on their newfound success with a more commercial sound, Come In and Burn leaned into dissonance, complexity, and raw emotion.
Musically, the album blends sludgy, aggressive alternative metal (akin to Soundgarden and Tool). Jazz-influenced rhythms (especially in the drumming and bass work) and Post-hardcore energy (carrying echoes of Black Flag, The Jesus Lizard, and Helmet)
Henry Rollins delivers intense, spoken-word-inspired vocals, oscillating between quiet, brooding passages and full-throated screams. The lyrics are personal, brooding, and filled with themes of alienation, frustration, and existential struggle.
Track Highlights
“Shame” – A slow-burning opener filled with boiling tension, featuring a haunting bassline and Rollins’ venomous spoken-word delivery before it erupts into crushing heaviness.
“Starve” – One of the album’s heaviest tracks, built on grinding, off-kilter guitar riffs and Rollins’ desperate, urgent vocals.
“All I Want” – A standout single with a driving groove and an almost hypnotic riff, offering one of the album’s most accessible moments.
“The End of Something” – A brooding, slow-burning song that gradually builds in intensity, showcasing the band’s ability to create atmosphere and tension.
“On My Way to the Cage” – A pummeling, almost industrial-sounding track that perfectly encapsulates Rollins’ combative, no-nonsense persona.
“Thursday Afternoon” – A jazz-tinged, slow groove that shifts between eerie calmness and bursts of intensity.
“Neon” – A fast, punk-driven track with distorted, angular guitar riffs, reminiscent of Rollins’ early hardcore roots.
“Inhale Exhale” – A furious, high-energy song that feels chaotic and cathartic, embodying the band’s raw power.
Rollins’ lyrics on Come In and Burn are deeply introspective, aggressive, and often self-destructive. Unlike some of their earlier work, which had a more defiant and empowering tone, Come In and Burn feels more inward-looking, filled with unease and existential questioning.
Come In and Burn received mixed-to-positive reviews. While some critics praised its raw intensity and unique fusion of styles, others found it less immediate than Weight and not as commercially viable. The album did not perform as well on the charts, and it remains one of the more overlooked entries in the Rollins Band discography.
However, over the years, Come In and Burn has gained a cult following, particularly among fans who appreciate its dense, challenging sound and the band’s uncompromising approach. It was Rollins Band’s last album on a major label (DreamWorks) before they returned to the underground scene.
Come In and Burn is an intense, emotionally charged album that refuses to pander to mainstream expectations. It’s a difficult but rewarding listen—dark, complex, and brimming with tension. If you’re a fan of heavy, intelligent, and deeply introspective music, this album deserves a revisit.
Dreamworks Records
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Shame
Starve
All I Want
The End Of Something
On My Way To The Cage
Thursday Afternoon
During A City
Neon
Spilling Over The Side
Inhale Exhale
Saying Goodbye Again
Rejection
