HEALTH: underrated?
 

I recently saw HEALTH perform live. They definitely made an impression on me. I'd say they have the best use of hard-hitting synths since Downward Spiral. No one seems to know about them or blog much about them. They really seem to have potential. Anyone else think they might become commercially viable?

I'm not sure if they are underrated because I am not really sure what following they have, but I think they are a really interesting band. They use very unique tones and somehow make their instruments sound different to anything I've heard before at times. Some of their songs are duds, but their best stuff is amazing.

Definitely underrated on MB though.

What music scene do you think they fit into? They're sort of a puzzle to me; I mean a lot of it sounds like some sort of alternative metal, but they seem to fit in better with indie groups, maybe even EDM.

They are in the indie hipster circle I'd say. Death Grips, Blanck Mass, Tobacco and Battles etc.

I'd only heard a little bit from them prior to their latest album, namely because Clark remixed one several years back and it sounded great. I remember checking out the album Get Color as a result, but it didn't do much for me. Years passed without me thinking of them, and when Death Magic was announced it seemed interesting. When I actually started listening to it, I found it pretty damn cheesy to be honest. I don't remember everything that rubbed me the wrong way but part of it was the metal bits in some or most of the songs. I don't think it worked and found it pretty corny. I may have also found the vocals lame or something. I should probably give at least the samples a quick listen to jog my memory, but the album was not at all as dark as they think it is. Honestly, it kept giving me Hot Topic vibes.

I'd call their sound synthpunk/noise pop/electropop.

Health's only good record was Health

Good to know.

I'm listening to the samples on Amazon right now to jog my memory, and yeah, this sounds corny as hell. The vocals and lyrics are awful, totally Hot Topic. Makes me think of Pet Shop Boys too often, also. It's just got this really bad glossy quality to it and yeah, those metal bits, lol. I'd say if you combine Linkin Park and Pet Shop Boys it might sound like this.

Edit: I just listened to the samples for Health and it definitely seems more interesting. The blending of genres seems more authentic and calculated, in a Mr. Bungle kind of way, as opposed to canned like on Death Magic.

That's exactly why I stopped listening to them after their self-titled. Too glossy and overproduced. They work well with their lo-fi noise approach. Like you said, more authentic.

I stand by my claim that some of their work (namely their self-titled album) is authentic noisesque material, though I agree they've evolved into overproduced pop that attempts to sound different. Does anyone know of any new noise/next generation industrial bands that do what Health is attempting properly?