Health are modern day synth mega stars with credits including Cyberpunk 2077, Max Payne 3 and even Grand Theft Auto. It may have taken a bit longer than it should have but they’re finally evolving beyond being a cult act and starting to headline bigger venues with Gost and Zetra acting as support. This tour follows their universally beloved set at Download and promises a killer set worth leaving the goon cave for.
As everyone made their way into the venue, they were greeted with a blast of warmth and video game music, and they all waited eagerly for the first support: Zetra. Zetra’s droning doom-laden Dark wave sound is very much in the same realm as bands like Type O Negative, albeit with more of an emphasis on synth. Despite only being a two-piece, they create some massive soundscapes that fill an already sizable venue to bursting.
It’s easy to take a quick glance at them and assume they were typical black metal edge lords with their leather and face paint but there’s much more going on. The band are less concerned with creating songs as each instrument just exists to fill out an already gigantic wall of sounds and the programmed drum track sound is just as massive as if a real drummer was performing.
Standing atop podiums armed with keyboards and guitars, the two won over Manchester with just a short set of metal-tinged gothic dark wave tracks that admittedly blended together but the purpose of these kinds of sets is to have a cohesive experience you can just get lost in.
Zetra come highly recommended to those looking for a more metal version of bands like The Cure and other classic goth rock acts and they’d make a great addition to your Halloween playlist alongside The Crow soundtrack. There’s still bleak melancholy to it that’s still easy to dance to.
Requiring balance from Zetra’s more atmospheric set was Gost, a two-man band that created some of the more extreme segments of the night. Made up of only a synth section and a bass player, the two created some of the most chaotic death metal-coded synth-scapes of the night.
Outside of the extreme segments was an immense amount of groove as stomping basslines dominated all while Gost himself went completely feral over his keyboard like the faceless demon he is. The crowd is thoroughly amped at this point with the Ritz’ famous dance floor pulsating to the insane heavy bass beats. At times it’s reminiscent of industrial metal acts like Static X, Fear Factory and even Killing Joke albeit with much more emphasis on the low end due to the lack of guitars.
The absence of guitars gives it this sloppy thickness and given the mix is largely low end, everything has a weird sort of clarity. It’s virtually impossible to distinguish the songs apart but experiencing it as one gigantic 45-minute song that continuously punches you square in the face is a beautifully abrasive experience.
Industrial may be hard to describe to the uninitiated but once you hear it, you know exactly how it feels. It’s the feeling of being bombarded by just a wall of machinery and getting thoroughly lost in it.
Health came on to ‘Cruel Angel Thesis’ from Neon Genesis Evangelion with Johnny Famiglietti wearing cat ears which all sounds incredibly on brand for a group with this kind of chronically online weeb fanbase. For the uninitiated, it may be hard for people to differentiate between songs on any level outside of vibe but vibe seems to get priority over all as far as Health is concerned. The band ventures through a wealth of different tones, they’re more than just the go-to sounds for thirst traps and PMVs, there’s genuine artistry outside of their bizarre social media presence.
Tracks like ‘Hateful’ are heavier than half the tracks that come from the modern metal scene. Sonically, the track invokes some kind of demonic catwalk show as the bass pumps and the band patrols the stage all the while flailing and perfectly matching the energy. Drummer BJ Miller is an animal throughout the whole set but it’s when the drumming is at its most simplistic that he truly gets to let loose. Based on the strength of this track, it’s insane The Boulet Brothers haven’t gotten in contact to score ‘Dragula’.
The whole show was lit like a Blade Runner 2049 neon future with nothing but moody lighting and strobe lights that occasionally flash with the intensity of an exploding sun. There are some incredibly extreme borderline grindcore segments in between slower more relaxed segments like their brilliant cover of Deftones ‘Be Quiet and Drive’ or the anthemic ‘Ashamed’.
Songs don’t really matter in the long run, it’s all about creating a cohesive experience and Health does that masterfully. Frontman Jake Duzsik acknowledges that he doesn’t have much to say on stage so opts to let the music speak for him. His vocals working in tandem with dreamlike guitar work do more than words ever could as he stalks the stage trading off the big moments with the rest of the band. Absolutely every member is essential and no one is expendable, it all comes together beautifully and creates a magical experience that needs to be seen.
“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture” has been a sentiment that I’ve tried to refute over the years. Most music can be very succinctly explained and discussed but some acts defy conventional explanation. With that said, it’s time to say goodnight to your discord kitten, leave the goon cave and experience Health.
