Pain Is a Warning is considered by both fans and critics as the band's most accessible work. According to frontman Steve Austin, the intent of the album was to simply be "honest and raw".[4] In an interview with NPR, Austin described their mindset during the writing process of the album as "make up an idea, keep it, make the next idea and then connect it all together."[5]
Lyrically, the album was inspired by the 2007 financial crisis which, according to Austin in a video interview, nearly caused him and his family to go into poverty. The track "Remember to Forget" was written about Austin's mother, who at the time was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The album's title was inspired from a conversation Austin had with his son.[6]
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