Twenty-five years after helping define a generation of melodic pop-punk with ‘Perhaps, I Suppose…’, Southern California’s Rufio are officially back with ‘Maps’, the band’s first brand-new song in 16 years and the lead single from their upcoming EP, ‘From The Outside’, due August 7th via Double Helix Records and its sister label, Double Felix Records.
A band long celebrated for combining soaring melodies with dazzling technical musicianship, Rufio aren’t simply revisiting the past. ‘Maps’ finds longtime members Scott Sellers (vocals/guitar), Clark Domae (guitar/vocals), and Taylor Albaugh (bass/vocals) writing from the perspective of adulthood, bringing the same melodic urgency that made the band a staple of the early-2000s punk scene while embracing the experiences that have shaped them over the last decade and a half.
“‘Maps’ is a mix between young Rufio and where we’re at now,” says Sellers. “The song is about a rekindled connection after 20 years of silence. We’ve grown a lot as musicians and humans, and I think the EP shows that through more confident playing, attention to detail, and realistic lyrics.”
The release of ‘Maps’ follows Rufio’s recently re-recorded version of fan favorite ‘Dipshit’, issued earlier this year to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the band’s landmark debut album ‘Perhaps, I Suppose….’ While that release honored the band’s past, ‘Maps’ points firmly toward its future, offering listeners their first glimpse of an entirely new chapter.
‘From The Outside’ also marks several firsts for the band. The EP features Dylan Roy (Dragged Under, ONI, Skylimit) on drums, it was mixed by JUNO-winner Sam Guaiana (Silverstein, Bayside, Neck Deep), and it was mastered by Grammy-winner Jason Livermore (Rise Against, NOFX, Descendents, Hot Water Music) at The Blasting Room. It is also Rufio’s first release through Double Helix Records and their sister label, Double Felix Records.
Despite the years that have passed since their last release, the spirit that made Rufio one of the most influential melodic punk bands of the early 2000s remains intact.
“We are Rufio—still the same old techy pop-punk band,” Domae says. “But we wrote songs for us, and I think if you like Rufio, you will like this too. But if you don’t, that’s fine, too. This isn’t about you.”
With the release of the newly re-recorded ‘Dipshit’ and the arrival of ‘From The Outside’ this August, Rufio begin a new chapter while celebrating the album that started it all 25 years ago.