This is not a drill! HEALTH, LA’s premiere industrial/noise rock outfit, have announced their latest album called VOL. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR. You might know about my affection for their last album, DEATH MAGIC, so this is a big deal for me personally. It’s coming out February 8, 2019 on Loma Vista, there’s a North America tour planned to start in April in support of it, and a new single in video form out right now. Lots to cover, let’s get started!
First, arguably most important, the single. We get “SLAVES OF FEAR”, the album’s title track to chew on. It’s undeniably HEALTH; deep, reverb-coated guitars, smacking and mechanical percussion, and hazy vocals. I still have yet to come across a sound that’s simultaneously as sterile and seedy as the sound this band bends to their will. The song get busier and melts away as it goes on, creating a give-and-take relationship with the listener. The video is a violent mishmash of heavily armored cops with disorienting strobe lights attached to their rifles, assailants striking down to unknown victims, and ends with a shot of a gun aimed at the camera. The action on-screen is choreographed to the tone of the music as well, which is a nice touch.
Interestingly, this video also functions like an album trailer, because there’s big words flashing on screen throughout. These are actually the titles of the album’s songs, so there’s your tracklist if you’re interested! The band has been releasing a few collaborations with artists adjacent to them, like Perturbator, Youth Code, and Soccer Mommy, all of which are slappers you should check out. None of those songs are on the album, though, so this is all new material!
HEALTH also announced a tour to support this new album called the WHEELS OF FEAR TOUR. It’s North America only (for now), but to be fair, it’s nearly all US except for two Canada dates in Vancouver and Toronto. Peep the dates:
WHEELS OF FEAR tour dates:
04/09 – Oakland, CA – The New Parish
04/10 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
04/12 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
04/13 – Vancouver, BC – Venue Nightclub
04/14 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
04/16 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
04/17 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
04/19 – Saint Paul, MN – Amsterdam Bar & Grill
04/20 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
04/21 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
04/22 – Detroit, MI – El Club
04/23 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
04/25 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere The Hall
04/26 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair
04/27 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
04/28 – Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel
04/30 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade – Purgatory
05/01 – Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon
05/02 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
05/03 – Austin, TX – Mohawk
05/04 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada
05/06 – Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf
05/07 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
05/10 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
I think that’s it! Lots of HEALTH news for you, and there’s certain to be more to come. Follow the band on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep apprised of all future announcements. They’re currently on a European tour, so check their official site to see if they’re in your area, and to pre-order VOL. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR!
