The Faint Release
Danse Macabre (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered] Today + Free MP3
Share Remastered Version of Agenda Suicide
Eleven years since the release of their influential album, Danse Macabre, The Faint are reissuing the album today, along with six bonus tracks. To celebrate today's release, The Faint are sharing the remastered version of Agenda Suicide, the first single off the 2001 album, which was remastered by Grammy winning Ted Jensen (Nora Jones, Billy Joel, The Eagles) at Sterling Sound, who additionally handled the mastering duties for the entire project. Jensen managed to maintain the band's dance beats, dark keyboards, and punk rock undertones but brought it to another level, showcasing a more indulgent side of new wave. The electrifying track is available for download on the Saddle Creek site, click HERE to stream, download or share the song.
Along with the six bonus tracks, the remastered release features an extensive booklet and will be available on CD in a triple-disc format with a DVD, and on double vinyl that also includes the CDs and DVD. Additionally, the DVD will include archival video footage from the band, live projection videos from that era's tour dates, the "Agenda Suicide" music video (directed by MK12), some live footage, and more. Copies of the physical album will be limited to 5,000 for the 2xCD/DVD package and 3,000 for the 2xLP/2xCD/DVD package.
The Faint are currently on tour to support the reissue and performing Danse Macabre in its entirety for the first time ever. And aside from some warm-up gigs in August and September (including The Faint’s inaugural shows at Slowdown, the Omaha club run by Saddle Creek), it will be the first time fans have been exposed to the new slim-and-trim quartet of vocalist Todd Fink, keyboardist Jacob Thiele, guitarist Dapose, and drummer Clark Baechle.
Check out the video for the live performance of Agenda Suicide at The Brother's Lounge below:
Differentiating from previous albums, The Faint attempted to conjure the energy of bumping Berlin dance floors nearly 5,000 miles away from their home in eastern Nebraska with the release of Danse Macabre. The nine-song album sizzled with perfectly aggressive synth lines, Fink’s menacingly effected vocals, infectious beats, bits of industrial and goth, and, at the heart of it all, strong songwriting featuring the kind of minor-key melodies that make singing along inevitable. Lyrically, Fink moved on from the sexually-charged nature of Blank-Wave to explore themes related to the importance of living for yourself and doing what you love, most notably showcased in the ominous “Agenda Suicide.” Death-metal guitarist Dapose, who had been brought in to be the band’s art director and assist with the videos projected during live shows, eventually started adding to the music, and upstart engineer and producer Mike Mogis (whose name can be found all over Saddle Creek’s illustrious catalog) perfectly captured The Faint’s sound and attitude despite never previously working on an electronic record.
“We thought about what it would be to capture the essence of a dance club,” says Thiele. “I’m glad that the BPMs are all over the place and that we didn’t actually do a bunch of house tempos, which is more the direction we were trying to emulate. But we kind of kept it rock ’n’ roll.”
Listen to the Deluxe Edition Trailer below:
Not surprisingly, Danse Macabre gained a lot of attention, including that of major labels, though the band eventually decided to remain on its independent path. Saddle Creek owner Robb Nansel fondly recalls watching the group blow up before his eyes, a phenomenon that became more and more apparent when The Faint took its storied live show—full of sweat, smoke, eyeliner, and those invigorating strobe lights—on the road.
“I remember some of the shows at the Metro in Chicago—just seeing the crowds react was always the most rewarding moment,” says Nansel. “Seeing like 800 people, or whatever was in the room at the time, all freaking out and dancing around. We’d seen that in Omaha happen over the years, but it’s so different when you see it out of town.”
And they’re still freaking out over the band’s live performances, which take rocking and dancing to epic heights. In addition to the songs from Danse Macabre, this fall’s tour will include entries from across The Faint’s discography, which also includes 2004’s Wet From Birth and 2008’s Fasciinatiion, as well as some brand-new material. What better way to celebrate the band’s past, present, and future than with the dance party of the year?
The Faint Tour Dates
* with Trust | ^ with The Casket Girls | # with Icky Blossoms
11/20
11/21
11/23
11/24
11/27
11/28
11/30
12/01
12/02
12/05
12/06
12/07
12/08
12/09
12/11
12/12
12/13
12/14
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San Diego, CA
Permona, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Las Vegas, NV
Dallas, TX
Austin, TX
Nashville, TN
Atlanta, GA
Asheville, NC
Washington, DC
Philadelphia, PA
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Montreal, QC
Toronto, ON
Chicago, IL
Minneapolis, MN
Omaha, NE
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House of Blues ^
The Glass House *^
Crescent Ballroom *^
House of Blues *^
House of Blues *#
Emo's East #
Cannery Ballroom *#
The Masquerade – Heaven Stage *#
The Orange Peel #
9:30 Club *#
Trocadero *#
Terminal 5 *#
Paradise Rock Club *#
Club Soda *#
Sound Academy *#
Metro *#
First Avenue *#
Sokol Auditorium *#
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