Health “Rat Wars” 

December 2023 | 23/12, MUSIC

This band from California made their name by playing many free concerts from the moment they formed in 2005. Following the release of their first full-length album, they went on to support Nine Inch Nails on their 2008 tour. Finally, the production of video game soundtracks has enabled the foursome to reach a wider audience. On their albums, they alternate electro-pop-inspired tracks with a slightly noisy sound, with much heavier metal-sounding tracks. This deliberate choice may have resulted in albums that didn’t sufficiently showcase their best compositions. On their fifth and latest album, there’s a greater sense of unity, the synth is still present and the singer’s voice is still smooth (a little too smooth?), but we hear a fairly successful blend of early Marilyn Manson, Rammstein and Porcupine Tree. Set against a backdrop of industrial stadium music, it’s easy to imagine what it might sound like live.