The Faint @ Crescent Ballroom

When The Faint's seminal album, Danse Macabre, was released 11 years ago, its combination of pulsing synths and heavy guitars made the band stand out. Sure, bits and pieces sounded like New Order or Depeche Mode, but there was a modern urgency that still rings loud and clear over a...

By Melissa Fossum

November 22, 2012

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When The Faint's seminal album, Danse Macabre, was released 11 years ago, its combination of pulsing synths and heavy guitars made the band stand out. Sure, bits and pieces sounded like New Order or Depeche Mode, but there was a modern urgency that still rings loud and clear over a decade later. "We wanted to be polarizing . . . We wanted people to either love it or hate it," says singer Todd Finke. "I think that attitude gave us the freedom to just go all the way when we felt like it without being scared, because you accept that people are going to hate it." Even as other indie rock bands have swapped their guitars for synthesizers, Danse Macabre remains an enduring classic. "I'm still happy with it, and that's pretty much all I can really hope for." Tired of the endless cycle of releasing albums and touring, The Faint went on hiatus for a couple of years. In August, Saddle Creek Records announced a deluxe reissue of Danse Macabre to coincide with the band's playing the album in its entirety at shows on a 24-date tour. The set comprises the 35-minute album, as well as hits from Wet From Birth and Blank-Wave Arcade and a handful of new songs.

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