I think art should challenge us, push our limits and help us explore the area outside of our comfort zone. By forcing us to discuss and experience things we would normally have avoided, we learn to appreciate new aesthetics and vantage points. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've put up more than my fair share of impassioned defenses for Fall Out Boy's first full length (honestly, just give it a fair shot) but when we always stay in our comfort zones we start to get a little too comfortable.

The Faint's Danse Macabre can be, at times, trite and immature, but when those steely, tormented vocals and dissonant melodies float over the unrelenting pulse of a distorted rhythm section, the end product is something that should only be played late at night, on your way to some place you shouldn't be going, and it should be played loud. The Faint have done a great job making dark music more accessible and "Agenda Suicide" is a great example.

I found this video during my Spring finals last year. I had been listening to the song for years, but I never got around to looking for a video. It does a great job of taking the song to the next level and, well, pushing me out of my comfort zone. I guess I'm not great with passionless violence, call me crazy. Anyway, it is artful and is a fine example of a band in top form.