Sad music for horny people.
Formed in 2006, HEALTH emerged from the Los Angeles noise rock scene with a sound equal parts industrial aggression and ethereal beauty. Their music is loud, confrontational, and experimental - feeling as though it was pulled from the wreckage of a future dystopia. Their sound is as much about atmosphere as it is about songwriting, balancing harsh electronic textures with Jacob Duzsik’s hauntingly detached vocals.
HEALTH have spent 2 decades effortlessly blurring the boundaries between industrial, electronic, and even pop, seamlessly transitioning from the abrasive rock of their early days to more recent collaborations with electronic producers like Perturbator and rappers such as JPEGMAFIA, as well as extensive soundtrack work, including the hauntingly atmospheric score for Max Payne 3.
HEALTH are architects of some of the finest collaborations of the modern age, bridging genres and generations through their DISCO4 series. Featuring artists as varied as Nine Inch Nails, Lamb of God, 100 gecs, Poppy, Full of Hell, Ghostemane and Ho99o9 to name a few, the series cemented HEALTH’s status as versatile innovators willing to explore new sonic territories, whilst crafting scores for some of the world’s biggest video games such as GTA-V in collaboration with Rockstar Games on the side. Health’s fanbase stretches across scenes and mediums, as they continue to shatter boundaries and eardrums.
Despite this versatility, HEALTH always remain unmistakingly themselves no matter what avenue they choose to explore. Their music carries a raw emotional weight, whether delivered through distorted guitars, thundering bass synths, pounding drums, or devastatingly bleak vocal hooks: a touchstone for a new generation of listeners craving abrasive noise.
HEALTH’s interaction with their fan community has become a defining feature of the band’s identity, with bassist John Famiglietti cultivating a distinct social media presence by curating fan-submitted memes, and fostering an online persona to complement their intense musical style, attracting a new generation of memetically inclined, chronically online savants.
The HEALTH Discord server boasts over 17,500 members, and serves as a social hub where fans exchange memes and arrange meetups with Famiglietti emphasizing the importance of these in-person connections as a way to address modern issues of isolation and foster a sense of belonging among fans.
The HEALTH hotline - a phone number managed by Famiglietti - allows fans to text and interact directly with the band, and this active fan participation has significantly amplified their profile. The steady stream of fan-driven memes has formed a feedback loop of ironic, self-referential, and often self-deprecating content, fueling their growth. By embracing the capabilities of digital platforms whilst encouraging real-world connection, HEALTH have cultivated a dedicated community that not only supports their music, but also each other.
HEALTH’s music often feels like a soundtrack for a world on the brink - a brutal, isolating, and dystopian blend of industrial noise, electronic chaos, and haunting melody, with lyrics that lay bare a deep-seated sense of disconnection, resonating with a generation shaped by digital isolation and existential dread. But despite their mastery of this dark aesthetic, HEALTH don’t glorify the isolation their music often explores, with the thriving Discord community a countercultural antidote to loneliness. For all the dystopian darkness HEALTH channels, their key message is ultimately one of connection and defiance.
We spoke to HEALTH’s Johnny Famiglietti - bassist, meme curator, hotline operator, and all-around chaos enthusiast - to dive into the band’s universe:
Your band has embraced the label ‘Cum Metal’ and put it on your merch, but the word has two distinct meanings: the preposition used to describe things of a dual nature, and the vulgar slang used to describe an orgasm. Which definition are we working with here, or is it a bit of both?
Cum as in jizz and Metal as in Heavy Metal.
You’re known for creating music that feels isolating and dystopian, but your live shows are the opposite - chaotic, communal, and cathartic. Do you see your performances as a way to combat the isolation explored in your music?
Yes. Touch grass.
How do you personally balance being so chronically online with encouraging people to log off and go outside?
Not doing great at it, I will go touch grass now.
Where did the inspiration come from to let your fans text or call you directly?
We grew up with hotlines on TV and thought how funny it would be if you could call directly.
What’s the best and worst messages you’ve received on the hotline?
Best: Thank Yous. Worst: Suicide Attempts (Cry for help)
Video games are often underestimated as an art form despite their ability to reach massive audiences and affect them. How much of your audience do you think discovered you through games?
I’d wager 95% of our fans are gamers whether they discovered us through video games or not.
Do you feel video game scores have been unfairly overlooked as a way to express emotion?
Eh people dont really give original scores that much time anyway, but there are some incredible video game scores that non gamers definitely don’t know.
Is there anyone left on your dream collaboration list, or are you just collecting genres like Pokémon at this point?
Oh we have many dreams, reaching out to them now. Some are saying yes.
Your lyrics are often extremely nihilistic. Why?
Jake writes the lyrics, you gotta “write what you know”.
Beyond ‘Cum Metal’, how would you personally describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you before?
Just put it on, you can stream music in seconds.
Which video game characters do you most identify with?
Doomguy.
You’ve described your music as ‘sad music for horny people’. Which song is the saddest and which is the horniest?
That’s up to you not me.
You’ve taken some incredible artists on tour. Who’s been the most fun to tour with?
Perturbator.
Is there a genre you refuse to go near?
Country.
How accurately do you think your soundscapes reflect the state of the world today?
We used to be about a dystopian future…I think we make current music now.
In 5 words, what can we expect from the new album?