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Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear

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Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear
Studio album by
Health
ReleasedFebruary 8, 2019 (2019-02-08)
Genre
Length38:17
LabelLoma Vista
ProducerLars Stalfors
Health chronology
Disco3
(2017) 		Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear
(2019) 		Grand Theft Auto Online: Arena War (Official Soundtrack)
(2019)

Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear (stylized as VOL4 ⸬ SLAVES OF FEAR) is the fourth studio album by American noise rock band Health. It was released on February 8, 2019 through Loma Vista Recordings.[1] The album was largely praised by critics.

Recording and composition

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Compared to the band's previous work, Slaves of Fear was described by critics as featuring more elements of industrial music,[2][3] and being thematically more dismal.[4][5] Vocalist Jake Duzsik called it "darker, heavier, [and] dirtier".[6] Sputnikmusic described it as "Death Magic if Trent Reznor had gotten a hold of it", stating that its "sterile and cold simplicity" paralleled industrial bands during the 1980s and 90s.[2]

Bassist John Famigletti described the album as being influenced by amateur artists on SoundCloud, stating that "NC-17" was derived from the "unfinished" work found on that platform, and Duzsik additionally stated it took inspiration from other artists Health had recently collaborated with.[6][7] The tracks were produced by Lars Stalfors; Famigletti stated he enjoyed the collaboration, calling him "artist focused" but someone who "will get you to finish what you’re working on".[8][4]

After the album's initial completion in 2018, the band decided to take extra time to revisit and tweak the tracks, with Famigletti stating that he "[didn't] know if it's the best way to make a record, but it's really awesome".[7]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic70/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
DIY[3]
Drowned in Sound8/10[11]
Exclaim!7/10[12]
NME[13]
Pitchfork3.4/10[14]
Sputnikmusic[2]
Under the Radar7/10[5]

Slaves of Fear received a score of 70 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on twelve critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[9] Under the Radar's Dom Gourlay described it as making "despair and desolation the band’s calling card", and Exclaim! stated that the "grimness of the lyrics works".[5][12] Heather Phares of AllMusic said that "there's something special about its empathy and honesty".[10] Matthew Davies Lombardi of DIY described it as being "relentless, dramatic and cinematic as [the band] dare to be", and Simon K. of Sputnikmusic said it was "densely packed with eerie clouds that loom over the haunting melancholia", making it the band's "most cohesive album yet".[2][3]

Although he called it a "good album", Jordan Bassett of NME described its "pounding sonic template" as being "diminished through its constancy", and Drowned in Sound's Gavin Miller stated that the album "isn’t perfect, but then I’m not sure it’s trying to be".[11][13] Pitchfork reviewer Sascha Geffen was more negative, perceiving the songs as having "no fight" and Health as seeming "content to throw up their hands and just die".[14]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Psychonaut"2:24
2."Feel Nothing"2:59
3."God Botherer"2:23
4."Black Static"3:05
5."Loss Deluxe"3:18
6."NC-17"3:08
7."The Message"2:32
8."Rat Wars"2:32
9."Strange Days (1999)"3:24
10."Wrong Bag"2:46
11."Slaves of Fear"4:53
12."Decimation"4:53

Charts

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Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[15] 6

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Green, Gil (December 6, 2018). "Health Announce New Album with "Slaves of Fear"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sputnikmusic Review". Sputnikmusic. February 8, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Lombardi, Matthew Davies. "DIY Magazine Review". DIY. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Crudgington, Kate. "HEALTH return with a heavy album for heavy times". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Gourlay, Dom (March 28, 2019). "Under the Radar Review". Under the Radar. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Lesuer, Mike (31 January 2019). "As Always, the New HEALTH Record Is Darker, Heavier, and Dirtier". FLOOD. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b Seppala, Timothy J. "Health goes heavy on 'Slaves of Fear'". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  8. ^ Fixell, Ethan (5 February 2019). "The Underground Sounds of America: HEALTH". Kerrang!. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Vol 4 :: Slaves of Fear - Health". AllMusic. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Miller, Gavin (February 7, 2019). "Drowned in Sound Review". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Rodgers, Ian (February 6, 2019). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Bassett, Jordan (February 7, 2019). "NME Review". NME. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  14. ^ a b Geffen, Sasha (February 11, 2019). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  15. ^ "Health Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
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