I just meant you needed help in the head
Try it if:
You've heard of The Faint before
You've never heard of The Faint
Skip if:
Weird indie rock music bothers you
I'll start out by saying that The Faint is probably my favorite band. It's hard to pick a number one...but really no one else can top them. So if you read any bias here, just take that as a sign that you should listen to their music.
The Faint had been largely dormant over the last several years, with the different members scattering across the country to focus on family, side projects, and such. Late last year, they all came back together in Omaha and without even planning it, realized they had rediscovered their desire to make more music as The Faint. Unlike Fasciinatiion, which took several years, Doom Abuse was created in only a couple months. They posted several weird cryptic pictures on Facebook featuring the legs from the album cover photoshopped into other backgrounds. Then, after years of silenced, they announced a new album and tour starting only a few weeks later.
The album is a mix of old and new. It's sure to find favor with old fans and first time listeners. There are hints of their early indie punk roots combined with weird new electronica techniques they haven't used before. The last album was produced meticulously; this time they wanted something that was raw.
Doom Abuse opens with 'Help in the Head'. It's driven by Dapose's (aka Michael Dappen) heavy bass guitar, in similar style as many of their old songs, such as 'Agenda Suicide'. The whole band echos the chorus in an old punk rock style. It's a quick paced, slightly darker song and was also their first release. 'Mental Radio' follows and features a weird hollow keyboard beat played by Jacob Thiele. It continues the weirdly upbeat but slightly dark sound. The lyrics are a hodgepodge of metaphors that are all over the place, making it difficult to find a single message.
The music gets even darker with 'Evil Voices'. They've been playing this song live for a little while, so some of their fans have already heard it. The song follows a heavy bass guitar again, backed by a haunting keyboard tune. Todd Fink's vocals switch between synthesizers, sometimes giving him an evil sound, other times giving him a panicked, harsh tone. He sings about the voices that haunt his dreams and keep him lost.
'Salt my Doom' is a tumultuous track. Clark Baechle has a driving drum beat that is the only semblance of order in this fast paced song. The overwhelming instruments nearly drown out the vocals. It's more chaotic than anything else they've done, featuring distorted sirens and other strange electronica sounds supported by a bass guitar that is all over the place, making it hard to pinpoint the individual instruments.
'Animal Needs' is the first big departure from their previous repertoire. The only hint of their normal sound is a short guitar chord that sounds just a little bit like the guitar in 'The Geeks were Right'. Otherwise, the tune is a dark synth track with chanting vocals. It bears a little resemblence to bands like My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, maybe mixed with The Birthday Massacre, but faster. Like a modern goth band recreating 80's synth music, but heavier and more polished. There are two voices singing at the same time, I can't tell if one might be a female singer, or if one of the other members stepped in. For that matter, I can't even decide if the main voice is Fink's.
'Loss of Head' blends the previous song's 80's synth with their more natural style. It contains some of the clearest vocals, which sing of nostalgia induced loss-his memories are the phantom limbs that give him hope and then crushes it.
'Dress Code' is...weird. It's full of weird keyboard tunes broken by even stranger electronic noises. The vocals are highly distorted and merely name off random things throughout the song. I'd like to make sense of it, but I'm not sure if there is anything deeper.
'Scapegoat' is easily the poppiest, most upbeat song The Faint has ever produced. Of course, it's not a normal pop song, it's still The Faint. The guitar leads, followed closely by the keyboard. The beginning of the chorus interrupts the flow (in a good way) with a bunch of crashing electronic sounds. The matching, choppy vocals sing an insult to someone claiming to be innocent.
This song ends with an incredible transition into the next song. After static humming, it sounds like the song picks up again, only to be taken over by the bass guitar as 'Your Stranger' starts. Apparently the bass player wanted to prove he can play some great choppy music as well. It's almost as quick, but at the same time heavier due to the bass.
They continue the quick pace with 'Lesson from the Darkness', but true to the song name, it gets darker. The keyboards bring back the gothic synth sound. Most of the time it stays in the background, but several times he plays a haunting tune you'd hear on a sweet but dark gothic song.
'Unseen Hand' is one of those songs that they create where it's both slow and dancy at the same time. It's uncanny how they are so skilled at such a weird combination. I think it's his slow voice combined with the dark but quick bass that gives it this effect. There are more weird electronic sound effects in this track. I feel like I'm repeating myself by saying that, but it's hard to describe such crazy sounds; they're electronic clicks, with what sounds like electronic instruments trying to speak in a human voice.
Finally, they close the album on a mellow track with 'Damage Control'. The keyboards are again at the forefront, giving the song a little bit of energy that Fink quickly stifles with a somber voice sang through an echoing synth.
Overall, another incredible album from a great band. It's available on Spotify, so check it out. They'll be playing in Omaha in June at the end of their tour, so get your tickets early!
You've heard of The Faint before
You've never heard of The Faint
Skip if:
Weird indie rock music bothers you
I'll start out by saying that The Faint is probably my favorite band. It's hard to pick a number one...but really no one else can top them. So if you read any bias here, just take that as a sign that you should listen to their music.
The Faint had been largely dormant over the last several years, with the different members scattering across the country to focus on family, side projects, and such. Late last year, they all came back together in Omaha and without even planning it, realized they had rediscovered their desire to make more music as The Faint. Unlike Fasciinatiion, which took several years, Doom Abuse was created in only a couple months. They posted several weird cryptic pictures on Facebook featuring the legs from the album cover photoshopped into other backgrounds. Then, after years of silenced, they announced a new album and tour starting only a few weeks later.
The album is a mix of old and new. It's sure to find favor with old fans and first time listeners. There are hints of their early indie punk roots combined with weird new electronica techniques they haven't used before. The last album was produced meticulously; this time they wanted something that was raw.
Doom Abuse opens with 'Help in the Head'. It's driven by Dapose's (aka Michael Dappen) heavy bass guitar, in similar style as many of their old songs, such as 'Agenda Suicide'. The whole band echos the chorus in an old punk rock style. It's a quick paced, slightly darker song and was also their first release. 'Mental Radio' follows and features a weird hollow keyboard beat played by Jacob Thiele. It continues the weirdly upbeat but slightly dark sound. The lyrics are a hodgepodge of metaphors that are all over the place, making it difficult to find a single message.
The music gets even darker with 'Evil Voices'. They've been playing this song live for a little while, so some of their fans have already heard it. The song follows a heavy bass guitar again, backed by a haunting keyboard tune. Todd Fink's vocals switch between synthesizers, sometimes giving him an evil sound, other times giving him a panicked, harsh tone. He sings about the voices that haunt his dreams and keep him lost.
'Salt my Doom' is a tumultuous track. Clark Baechle has a driving drum beat that is the only semblance of order in this fast paced song. The overwhelming instruments nearly drown out the vocals. It's more chaotic than anything else they've done, featuring distorted sirens and other strange electronica sounds supported by a bass guitar that is all over the place, making it hard to pinpoint the individual instruments.
'Animal Needs' is the first big departure from their previous repertoire. The only hint of their normal sound is a short guitar chord that sounds just a little bit like the guitar in 'The Geeks were Right'. Otherwise, the tune is a dark synth track with chanting vocals. It bears a little resemblence to bands like My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, maybe mixed with The Birthday Massacre, but faster. Like a modern goth band recreating 80's synth music, but heavier and more polished. There are two voices singing at the same time, I can't tell if one might be a female singer, or if one of the other members stepped in. For that matter, I can't even decide if the main voice is Fink's.
'Loss of Head' blends the previous song's 80's synth with their more natural style. It contains some of the clearest vocals, which sing of nostalgia induced loss-his memories are the phantom limbs that give him hope and then crushes it.
'Dress Code' is...weird. It's full of weird keyboard tunes broken by even stranger electronic noises. The vocals are highly distorted and merely name off random things throughout the song. I'd like to make sense of it, but I'm not sure if there is anything deeper.
'Scapegoat' is easily the poppiest, most upbeat song The Faint has ever produced. Of course, it's not a normal pop song, it's still The Faint. The guitar leads, followed closely by the keyboard. The beginning of the chorus interrupts the flow (in a good way) with a bunch of crashing electronic sounds. The matching, choppy vocals sing an insult to someone claiming to be innocent.
This song ends with an incredible transition into the next song. After static humming, it sounds like the song picks up again, only to be taken over by the bass guitar as 'Your Stranger' starts. Apparently the bass player wanted to prove he can play some great choppy music as well. It's almost as quick, but at the same time heavier due to the bass.
They continue the quick pace with 'Lesson from the Darkness', but true to the song name, it gets darker. The keyboards bring back the gothic synth sound. Most of the time it stays in the background, but several times he plays a haunting tune you'd hear on a sweet but dark gothic song.
'Unseen Hand' is one of those songs that they create where it's both slow and dancy at the same time. It's uncanny how they are so skilled at such a weird combination. I think it's his slow voice combined with the dark but quick bass that gives it this effect. There are more weird electronic sound effects in this track. I feel like I'm repeating myself by saying that, but it's hard to describe such crazy sounds; they're electronic clicks, with what sounds like electronic instruments trying to speak in a human voice.
Finally, they close the album on a mellow track with 'Damage Control'. The keyboards are again at the forefront, giving the song a little bit of energy that Fink quickly stifles with a somber voice sang through an echoing synth.
Overall, another incredible album from a great band. It's available on Spotify, so check it out. They'll be playing in Omaha in June at the end of their tour, so get your tickets early!
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