Welcome to the IMPACT series where I dissect notable and iconic sequences from games and movies, and how they broadened my mind and left a lasting impression on me, years to come. 

You’re like every other asshole … You made a bit of money, and you became a turd!

The Backdrop

This is going to be more or less an incredibly long love letter to a franchise I have adored since my first time starting up my Playstation 2 and loading in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

I do plan on deep-diving into the series, with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto: Online.

But this is just about the franchise as a whole.

So why is it so impactful?

One of the biggest appeals that Grand Theft Auto has always held for me, is the complete and utter freedom one has to act in a realistically created world.

There are no games quite as expansive, lovingly crafted and insanely detailed oriented as a Grand Theft Auto game upon release. The world crafted in-game is almost slavishly faithful to its real-world counterpart.

San Andreas legitimately allowed me to enjoy 3 American cities in a single game, with its copies of San Fransisco (San Fierro), Los Angeles (Los Santos) and Las Vegas (Las Venturas) in addition to expansive desert and wooded countryside landscapes.

The scope of that game … is still unmatched today. No game I have ever played since, allowed a player to legitimately fly from one city to another in a plane and find themselves in an actual “world” to experience.

Rockstar Games have always been an incredibly ambitious and provocative company. They thrive off negative controversy, an iconic element of their marketing strategy and they refuse to release games until they are goddamn ready. Every single game of theirs, has been an event in the entertainment industry.

The sheer amount of marketing that Rockstar Games is capable of, on a global scale, ensures that every single person is aware of their product. It is quite literally, a hostile takeover of physical and virtual marketing when they release a game.

And so it should be, because thus far, they have yet to release a bad one. Even their more obscure titles, like Bully or L.A. Noire have rabid cult followers who are still breathe and live their games and cry out for a sequel.

But it was with Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games cemented their place in history. Its’ sprawling, realistic worlds with all the depravity of real life, from sex, violence, and crime gives players full agency to do whatever they feel fit to do, within the confines of the game.

You have immense creative freedom, complete moral ambiguity and intense levels of customisation.

It’s the ultimate sandbox to experience reality like you never have before and never could in the actual world.

The Impact.

I have always been a person who loved reality more than a lot of fiction. There is just too much in this world that is incredible and more bizarre than the strangest alternate reality devised.

So on a personal level, all I’ve ever really wanted from a game is a sandbox that is realistic and contemporary, with the freedom to shoot, run, hide and interact like how I’ve always wanted to in reality, but without being sent to jail for it.

Grand Theft Auto, from the very first time I played San Andreas, allowed me that escapism. I became obsessed with the game around the same time The Bourne Supremacy (2004) came out.

Taunting the cops to chase me, whilst I drove away in a yellow taxi cab, to emulate that iconic chase sequence at the climax resulted in both film and game merged in an experience I would treasure even now.

With absolute fondness, I still recall slamming my yellow taxi cab around Las Venturas’ highways, avoiding police traps and playing the throbbing score by John Powell “Bim Bam Smash” on a loop over the Self Radio.

Nothing else quite topped that experience in a game, for a very long time.

That is until Grand Theft Auto IV came out and I became equally obsessed with recreating film moments in Liberty City, and my addiction grew even further, because now the driving and shooting mechanic had become buttery smooth and I was in love anew with the driving physics.

The hours I spent, role-playing as a vigilante FIB agent, killing gangsters with Niko Bellic in a suit and tie, wielding a Glock … are too numerous to count and too shameful to admit.

The simple fact is, the game itself encourages you to recreate iconic moments you’ve seen in film and pop culture. Beyond obvious references in Grand Theft Auto’s stories, the amount of customisation for your character in terms of clothing, tattoos, haircuts and in some cases, even weight, meant that you can express yourself however you see fit.

Then there are the vehicles …

Every single game has been an incredible delight to drive, cruise, fly and pilot. I loved the heavier feel of the cars in Grand Theft Auto IV, the sheer variety in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and now the overall experience of flying across a stunning realisation of Los Angeles in Grand Theft Auto V. Whether it is sport cars, sedans, Pimp-mobiles, tractors …. if there is a fun vehicle, you can find it in Grand Theft Auto and modify it to your heart’s desire.

The sensation of flying across San Andreas in a prop plane with God rays reflecting off the surface of the plane, while a sunset slowly comes down across the horizon is still as stunning as it was when it first came out.

With Grand Theft Auto Online, I think I have lost count of the number of vehicles I own. I became, quite literally addicted to the premise of earning money so I could own more cars. As a car fanatic, the garage collection you can build in Online is so vast, that you can actually forget which cars you own.

At the time of writing this, I believe I own close to 200 cars in the game, with almost every kind of imaginable vehicle I have ever wanted in reality. The classic Batmobile from 1989, numerous Ferraris, two replicas of the F1 Red Bull RB7 challenger, a Bond-styled Aston Martin DB5, an Aston Martin V8 Volante, and even the latest Aston Martin Valkyrie. There are numerous Porsches, Ferraris, BMWs, Mustangs, Nissan GTRs, armoured variants of classic coupes, Bentley Continentals, McLaren F1, McLaren Longtail, and even a Mercedes 300SL.

The list could go on forever, because in the years since its release, Rockstar has only continued to build the endless list of cars inspired by real world counterparts in the game.

And I want them all.

No other game I have ever played, has inspired such greed in me. I haven’t even started on my personal yacht, boats, planes (a goddamn V-22 Osprey) and now with the latest Cayo Perico update, a frigging submarine with its personal Bell H-13 Sioux styled helicopter and even a submersible Ferrari/Lamborghini vehicle.

In Grand Theft Auto Online, there is nothing outside the realm of purchase and in all seriousness, that is 90% of the charm of the game. I have always wanted to own all of these things in reality and the game makes it so easy to do so.

The Enrichment.

There are a lot of things that I’ve learnt from Grand Theft Auto. But I want to distil it down to three major points.

Music. Marketing. Decade Recap.

With the Cayo Perico Heist update, it really opened my eyes to just how much of a “record company” Rockstar is. The music selection and licensing is obscene for a game of its size, with over 20 radio stations. Grand Theft Auto might boast the biggest contemporary collection of music in any game ever made. They are are so casual about their power in the music industry, that the legendary Dr. Dre can just show up as a cameo in a game cutscene and surprise everyone.

What makes it all the more astonishing is that without fail, every single GTA has managed to perfectly sum up the decade in music. I have never heard a bad selection of music in-game ever. It was Vice City that managed to grab the absolute best of the 80s and divide them into incredible radio stations complete with false advertising. Not only were the songs amazing to drive along to, it built the immersion to another level whilst playing.

San Andreas killed it with their 90s selection of songs, the game actually instilling in me, a deep appreciation for rap music. Grand Theft Auto IV was an amazing eclectic mix of everything, even surprising me with their Russian taste and really proving that immigrant music can be just as amazing as mainstream hits.

The more said about Grand Theft Auto V‘s music the better. Everything contemporary, most of it new and unheard of, has exploded on the radio stations in the game. You can hear music from Detroit, bump along to UK underground, dance to the latest club mixes and their nightclub DJs mixes rival some of the best music heard in reality. It is truly astonishing how many unique songs have been made just for Grand Theft Auto. I mean, even Gorillaz made a MUSIC VIDEO for their song using footage of their GTA gameplay.

Which brings me to my next point about Marketing.

One of the most obvious standout features about Rockstar as a game company, is their ability to thrive off negative press. Ever since its release, GTA has become the number one pick for hell-bent politicians and angry parents to blame for the corruption of their children, instead of looking inwards at poor parenting.

Rockstar has done everything in their power to further enrage those fires and thus drive up sales of their games, because suddenly when something becomes forbidden, it only serves to fuel the allure. But beyond that marketing philosophy of “bad press is better than no press”, are the numerous tactics that Rockstar has employed to generate hype around their games.

The Cayo Perico Heist was promoted first in-game, when dead bodies started washing ashore on Vespucci beach, at specific locations and at random times. Then there was a strange message that mentioned that the Casino was under construction for something big. Then out of nowhere Gorillaz released their music video for The Valley of the Pagans ft.Beck. This was then followed by a cryptic trailer that hinted at an island and a submarine ping?

Then to increase further hype, they showcased the actual trailer and the music was absolutely killer, encouraging you to think that you needed a holiday away from the mainland of Los Santos and they were teasing all new radio stations, 2 new places to party and socialise and jobs to do for the DJs in-game.

I don’t think I have ever been more hyped for a DLC than I was for this.

Beyond that though, there has been an incredibly consistent GTA branding that I envy, with unique font and art style that saturate every aspect of the game marketing, regardless of which title is released. Add on top of that, bus billboards, NYC giant posters, and endless campaigns that still last to this day, you will never escape the event that is the release of Grand Theft Auto.

The final aspect I adore about GTA is the decade recap.

At GTA’s heart, beats a sarcastic, satirical and scathing teenager who wants to lash out at society and laugh at its ridiculousness. Even the name Rockstar Games suggest there is an attitude of rebelliousness, of good ol’ rock’n’roll attitude to how they produce games. Yes the product is undeniably genius and well made, but its heart is devil-may-care. Rockstar doesn’t care that the game offends or insults you … the fact that you bought it or are talking about it, is already a win in their eyes and they are laughing all the way to the bank.

But what is astonishing is their skill at satire. The have such a consistent stupid approach to things. Pisswasser is their best beer in the game. Cluckin Bell is their take on fast-food empires and their radio stations have insane advertisement for Ammu-Nation the gun store in-game. Then there is the recent parody of Apple in iFruit with lewd, suggestive advertisements and even Faceook is not safe with their hilarious named LifeInvader social media program that apes the infamous company’s style.

What Rockstar is capable of, is identifying the best elements of a decade and turning it on its head, either in a hilariously over the top way or making it bizarrely sexual. Every decade, has had its best music put into a radio station with ridiculous ads, and the story has had the best of all that decade’s pop culture placed squarely into the narrative. Vice City was a spin on Scarface and Miami Vice. San Andreas was all about 90s gangster culture and there are so many references to popular 90s films, like Con Air, Boyz n the Hood or The Big Lebowski.

Grand Theft Auto IV has an obvious reference to Behind Enemy Lines with Niko’s starting outfit, but more sutble references like Ronin and even Zoolander of all things.

The list goes on and on, but it is that ability to grab all the best of a decade and turn it around that makes GTA so special. The world is real, its grounded but … just heightened ever so slightly just to make immersion a bit funnier to those with keen eyes.

The Culmination.

Grand Theft Auto is landmark piece of entertainment. It is one of the biggest selling franchises of all time and is probably responsible for devouring about an 1/8 of my waking hours. The reason why Grand Theft Auto is such an incredible hit is because it takes the world as it is, tweaks it to make it funnier and stupid and offers you that tempting chance to be an arsehole you have always wanted to be in reality.

That is what, at its core, makes Grand Theft Auto so addicting. You want to own all these things in reality. To do whatever you want in reality. To be a badass drifting around a corner through red lights, to sky-dive and not worry about the plane exploding onto a skyscraper, to pilot your own submarine, to make money easily by killing half a dozen people … to pull of heists and make millions.

Then subsequently spend all of it on a hyper-car and not worry about financial repercussions.

The story is cynical, hilarious and ultimately all about a flawed human being having a heart of gold. Every Rockstar protagonist is an incredibly lovable asshole. They are flawed, do horrible things, and behave like the biggest douche on the planet, but their writing, and ultimately desire to get better makes them relatable. Michael De Santa, Jimmy Hopkins, Max Payne, Niko Bellic, Carl Johnson, Tommy Vercetti, Arthur Morgan … all of these leads are charismatic, psychotic maniacs with thousands of deaths to their names and millions of dollars to their reputation and game but at their heart, despite their despicable actions, they are good men who look after their friends and just want to get ahead in life.

To quote Doctor Strange … Its a simple spell, but quite unbreakable.

The cherry on top of this satirical escapism, is the hyper realistic graphics, the fascinating side characters and the enthralling music. Rockstar takes immersion to the next level, with hilarious AI phone conversations, the ability to give the finger to pedestrians, and truly indulge in being the best Los Santos/Vice City/Bullworth Academy/Sao Paulo domestic terrorist you can be.

Rebellious. Controversial. Aggressive. Fearless. Anti-Authority. These are but some of the characteristics that help define the role of the rock star in modern day society. Rock stars are unafraid to push the limits of an established set of rules. They constantly question authority and live to upend the social structures that help to define it. Their belief’s become their passions and they strive to share these with the surrounding world. Their aura is intoxicating and inspires others to follow their way of life. This is the life of a rock star. This is the unofficial motto of Rockstar Games.

May you rock on forever, Grand Theft Auto.

Welcome to the IMPACT series where I dissect notable and iconic sequences from games and movies, and how they broadened my mind and left a lasting impression on me, years to come. 

Blak and Blu … this is The Story of Sonny Boy Slim.

The Backdrop.

With so much music being made nowadays, it is easy for us to let talented musicians fly under the radar.

I discovered Gary Clark Jr. the same way I discovered most of my musical taste … through Rockstar Games, the record label masquerading as a multi-million dollar game company that has produced masterpiece upon masterpiece.

I found it incredible that for such a short cut-scene in Max Payne 3, they managed to get the license of Bright Lights by Gary Clark Jr. All just to provide incredible atmosphere to the New Jersey bar that Max found himself slumped in.

I grew obsessed with the song and then artist soon after. I devoured his album, Blak and Blu and grew to appreciate his incredible guitar skills. The way how Clark Jr. seamlessly transition between blues and rock still floors me to this day.

So when I heard his next album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim was coming out, I immediately pre-ordered and got myself a shirt.

There were even plans to see him live in Melbourne. But unfortunately I was strapped for cash so instead I just dedicated a weekend listening to his albums over and over again.

I get a Hendrix vibe from him and while he may not reach the heights of Jimi, he’s damn close and I’ll settle for that any day of the week.

Make no mistake though, this guy from Austin Texas sounds even better live and he is one of the few artists where I actually download the Live albums.

The Impact.

One of my favourite things about Gary Clark Jr. is that the man is raw. Raw talent. Raw emotions. Raw performances. There is a roughness to his playing style that makes it compelling listening. He is insanely talented and skilled at manipulating a guitar, but it is the combination of his vocals and the actual meaning behind his lyrics that make him the real deal.

There is a folklore quality to his songs that inspired me to actually start revisiting other famous guitarists with a message to scream into a microphone.

It also made me realise just how difficult it is to create a niche for yourself in the over-saturated world of blues and rock. Often times you find talent copying other famous musicians, or people who can hold a tune, but can’t string a guitar or vice versa.

Gary Clark Jr’s raw style and folklore style to his lyrics make him a unique voice in American music.

There is a road quality to his soundscapes, where you might be passing by a bar on the street and suddenly you hear this wail of a guitar.

You stop, pay your entrance fee and forget whatever plans you might have had for the night, because talent this good doesn’t come by often.

That’s the effect Gary Clark Jr. has on me. He made me sit up, notice and hum his songs for days after. His voice can soar above his guitar, and somehow go low enough to meld beautifully as well.

The Enrichment.

Gary Clark Jr. opened my eyes to a lot of things beyond his amazing skill and killer album Blak and Blu.

Firstly, I appreciated that he was an early proponent of Indigenous Australian issues, when he toured Australia. The Aborigine flag was highly prominent across his chest as he jammed out his tunes and it seemed the issues they faced, were echoed in his latest album, This Land.

The album was inspired by a encounter he had when buying his ranch in Texas and it prompted one of his best songs yet, with an incredible opening that was as unique as it was impactful.

Warbles, guitar riffs and an angry, indignant voice combined together to create an absolute banger of a song to headline his latest album.

Beyond his obvious championship of Indigenous rights, an issue no doubt brought about his lovely Australian wife, Gary Clark Jr. also tackled social issues in most of his songs.

There is righteous anger in This Land, mythical wistfulness in The Story of Sonny Boy Slim and just pure nostalgia for a rugged Americana in Blak and Blu. His music videos are always well informed and tackling something crucial in society.

Well … perhaps his Justice League MV leaves a lot to be desired but … at least the lyrics are killer.

But the real enrichment Gary Clark Jr. provides for me is an angry atmosphere to wrap myself into. My favourite three songs of his, all make me feel a certain way that just can’t be captured by other artists.

His song, Numb is this hard-edged melody that makes me feel comforted in knowing that I am not the only male out there that loves his woman, but can also be incredibly frustrated by her. The slow, burning energy of the guitar is what sells this song.

Yeah I know … Yeah woman, I can’t feel the same.

Then it is When My Train Pulls In makes me want to run away with her again. The folklore style of the lyrics and wistfulness of his guitar make me romantic. Let’s escape across the road and put our worries behind is the vibe I get from this song. I want to, I want to so badly, but I can’t and that’s why this love is doomed.

I’ll be ready now … I’ll be ready when my train pulls in.

The best song for last is of course Bright Lights where it makes me feel like I am in the same bar as Max Payne, nursing a drink, agonizing over regrets and desperate to chase away the hangover with something even stronger. I’m angry, alone and desperate. I’m willing to do anything to make my pain go away, but nothing is coming, so I’m getting angrier.

Bright lights, big city going to my head

The Culmination.

If trouble was money baby …. I swear I’d be a millionaire …

If worries was dollar bills …. I’d buy the whole world and have money to spare.

Gary Clark Jr. remains one of my all time favourite musicians. His guitar skills are unbelievable and there is just a hell of a lot of emotions in his singing.

He’s a born live performer, not a man to be cooped up in a studio.

There is weight to his songs, a real strong sentiment of a man that can’t be tamed and lives on only through his music.

In a lot of ways, Gary Clark Jr. represents to me the ideal musician. A man with raw unmatched talent, the fire within to speak about anything he damn well please and he let his skills do all the talking.

He carry the kindred spirit of guitar legends on his shoulders and it has served him well.

Even now, when I listen to his stuff, I get transported to another space, a place where I am devoured by some strange passions and at the mercy of whims.

And that is a gift that not many musicians can conjure up within me.

Welcome to the IMPACT series where I dissect notable and iconic sequences from games and movies, and how they broadened my mind and left a lasting impression on me, years to come. 

YOUWILLLOVEEACHOTHER.

The Backdrop.

Quite potentially the most left-field band I have ever found and fallen in love with, HEALTH was introduced to me, via one of my favourite games of all time: Max Payne 3.

In fact, the game’s score and style was so influential, I actually discovered 2 artists through the game, HEALTH and Gary Clark Jr. (more on this guy in a follow up post) and subsequently became obsessed with cynical monologues for the rest of my life.

An obsession you can clearly read in my writing.

In fact, I could argue that Rockstar is probably responsible for most of my excellent music taste. Their choice, direction and soundscape in games is essentially impeccable, from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’s 80s pop on Flash FM to the addicting anger in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’s 90s rap Radio Los Santos and my current interest in electronica heard in Los Santos Underground Radio in Grand Theft Auto V.

HEALTH have been long collaborators with Rockstar and I must say I am grateful, because the score in Max Payne 3 is ridiculously unique and truly evocative. When I first heard it, I was genuinely stunned. The sounds that came from the score were so distinct, unique and impactful. I could hear the pain and anguish in Max’s grief, the sadness of the favelas and the nihilistic overtones of the cutscenes.

There has never been a score since that has simultaneously unsettled me and lifted me to emotional heights like Max Payne 3.

Now upon listening to more of their albums, I am incredibly addicted to their angry, violent sounds and the throbbing undertones of dark energy, that are juxtaposed with soaring lyrics and voices.

It is downright weird.

It is industrial noise rock.

The Impact.

Beyond the first initial reaction to the Max Payne 3 score, I knew that I was hungry for more from these guys.

Enter DEATH MAGIC.

The first real album I found from HEALTH and the subsequent addiction. For me, DEATH MAGIC is still as incredible now as it was to me when I first heard of.

For me, an obvious sign that I am loving the music I am hearing, is when the hairs on my forearm stand up and goosebumps suffuse my skin. That’s when I know my entire being is vibing completely with the music I am listening to.

DEATH MAGIC still invokes that sensation years after I first found it. To listen to DEATH MAGIC is to go on a strange, dark journey that is terrifying and violent, occasionally interrupted by soaring, despairing and sweet songs that tug away at your inner despair and make you long for love.

If you look at the album cover, the names of each song is unapologetically strange and cryptic, to match the chaotic album art. The red and black strange Jackson Pollock’s style of art is in perfect harmony to the diverse soundscapes you will be expericing in the album itself.

If I had to sum up each song, here is what it would look like:

VICTIM: The very first song is all about setting up a precedence. It’s heavy thumping rhythms make you feel like you are descending into a dark place. You are sinking, falling and diving deeper into a strange, chaotic place. Just when you are lost, and about to give up, in comes Jake Duzsik’s strange soaring vocals to guide you further on your dark path. You follow his voice, like a blind man would, bewildered, hopeful and trusting of a strange angel.

STONEFIST: Hits you with all the iconic HEALTH sounds, from Duzsik’s hauntingly sweet vocals, to the dark pulses of the band’s drums, guitar and synthesizers. It legitimately slams you straight after VICTIM, letting you know that Duzsik’s angel is now accelerating your journey through this dark place, and you have to keep up, as his voice is punctuated by hard hitting synth and drums crescendos. As you try to keep pace, all you’ll hear is LOVE’S NOT IN OUR HEARTS.

(Oh and the music video is deceptively normal, until the 1 minute mark, and then it decides to go full Society (1989) on you)

MEN TODAY: Takes a dark turn, with its heavy emphasis on drums and chaotically quick guitar riffs. Slow drums, then punctuated by quick guitar and dark synth, only to mellow out into soft, high vocals. Almost like you are on a roller-coaster of sound, terrifying one minute, then bliss as you hit the apex. It is mercifully short and then you transition into FLESH WORLD.

FLESH WORLD (UK): Rhythmic, then all the sudden interjected by a strange siren, high vocals allow you to take a breather, and settle in. It is a slower tempo than the other songs, but really allows Duzsik’s unique vocals and HEALTH’s strange lyrics to shine.

All the bones grew strong before they broke
All the blood runs hot before it’s cold
All the bones grew strong before they broke

COURTSHIP II: Just as you were getting comfortable, COURTSHIP II comes in with dark terrifying visions of nightmares, with slow, throbbing drums, constantly playing in the background, only to be accelerated by rapid guitar, bass and synth. Just as it ramps up, the song takes a sudden turn and lets the slow vocals kick in, confusing you with its chaotic energy. It slows down and almost soothes you with how gentle the vocals are. It would be relaxing, were it not for the crash of drums and guitars at the end.

DARK ENOUGH: A personal favourite of mine, this song is the relaxing element of the album. Slow, and fully utilising Duzsik’s vocals to the absolute pop limit, it is a dark pop song, with haunting melodies. You feel like you are being nursed to health after the chaos of the earlier songs.

Does it make a difference how I feel
As long as I come back to you?
Does it make a difference if it’s real
As long as I still say I love you

SALVIA: A primer for NEW COKE, SALVIA’s first initial seconds of the song are dark and pounding, but suddenly it relaxes into a mellow melody that is airy, and gentle. Short and sweet, it is meant to be an linking song to NEW COKE.

NEW COKE: Another favourite’s of mine, HEALTH’s dark pop style is on full display here, with a dark theme to the lyrics.

Let the guns go off
Let the bombs explode

Oh just once
We’ll be gone before we know
Question how will we go
Will we see the ones we’ve lost?

It is nihilistic, despairing and tragic and the song peaks in the centre on a wail that threatens to consume you.

L.A. LOOKS: After the nihilistic, almost suicidal tones of NEW COKE, L.A. LOOKS almost seems to mock you with its actual pop style zest and zing. It is quite possibly the only “fun” song, that doesn’t really delve into the darkness to much. With its more fun style, comes this feeling that you are nearing the end of your journey. That you really have gone through the worst of it. The lyrics of course are dark, disguised by the fun slow tempo of the song.

But it’s not love
It’s not love
It’s not love but I still want you
It’s not love, it’s not love
It’s not love but I still want you

HURT YOURSELF: With an odd choir-like opening, HURT YOURSELF is an excellent example of how HEALTH loves mashing genres and styles to create a wholly unique sound to their songs. There is an angelic style to this song, with high pitched peals and tones to accentuate the lyrics. You soar for a while, until HEALTH slams in a beautifully dark undertone to the entire song near the end, to make it seem like you are flying, only it is the sky beneath the ground.

DRUGS EXIST: The final song of the album, and the terminal leg of your journey, is an reflective and gentle song, with high notes and crooning lyrics. It is sad, slow and moody, softly letting you down after the ride through DEATH MAGIC. You finish your journey, empty, and bereft of something, yet … if you leave your music player on repeat, the booming sounds of VICTIM take you right back to the beginning again and your dark journey starts over.

Limp as you’d like
Everybody dies
Pray if you must
Try to love the ones who loved us

There was no blood
We’ve worried all but numb
There lies no ghost
The dead will call us home

Live as you’d like
It’s hard to know what’s right
Pray if you want
But try to love the ones who don’t

The Enrichment.

DEATH MAGIC isn’t really just an album with a near perfect replay value, it’s an incredible work of art that is wholly unique and bizarre to the charms of HEALTH.

Of course, I had to go and check out the rest of their discography, from their titular release HEALTH, to the high octane GET COLOR and their latest Vol 4. SLAVES OF FEAR.

What really struck me throughout all their albums, is the consistency of their work. They are always pushing, striving for that unique sound of theirs, and it never ceases to surprise me with how much better they are getting with each album release.

In addition, their music videos are some of the most strange, dark and twisted out there. In particular, WE ARE WATER features highly disturbing and gory results, that I was definitely not expecting from a music video.

But then, I should have known better with how dark and twisted HEALTH is from the beginning. After all, the score during the titular abandoned hotel sequence in Max Payne 3 was some of the most evocative soundscapes I’ve heard in a long time.

Without the discovery of HEALTH I suspect I wouldn’t be able to appreciate new type of music as easily. It took me a while to warm up to them, as I couldn’t work out whether I loved or hated these new sounds.

But repeated playthroughs of Max Payne 3 made me acknowledge the genius behind Rockstar’s choice and appreciate that just because something was unique and utterly strange to me, it wasn’t bad. Not at all.

The Culmination.

Chaotic, frenzied, violent and atmospheric, DEATH MAGIC is one of my favourite albums to listen to on repeat because the journey it takes you on, is legitimately like a horror ride.

You’re confused, angry, terrified, and engaged in your primal side. You cling onto the angelic vocals, not realising it is leading you astray and in a strange way, you are having the time of your life, engaging with this strange atmosphere of fear and anger.

To say that HEALTH’s soundscapes are unique is doing it a bit of a disservice in my humble opinion. They are experimenting with all types of things and honestly, they are awesome at slamming it all together in a coherent musical narrative.

I will also like to point out, if you think this is a band trying to “edgy”, I would say that has never been the case with HEALTH. Much like Nine Inch Nails, from the onset HEALTH has been consistently dark in their exploration of music and I don’t see a shred of pretension in their art so far.

To see them live would be a dream come true, and I really hope one day they might tour somewhere Down Under so I can catch them.

A tiny bit of extra trivia that I thought was an insanely incredible act of generosity, was that for their NEW COKE music video, there is a phone number at the end of the short film.

This was actually the phone number for the band and they would legitimately talk to anyone who called the number, about their lives and if they needed any help.

Just amazing. You just have to get past the projectile vomiting to see the end though.

DEATH MAGIC … just go check it out.

I love HEALTH’s work and will doubtless continue to be a fan for a very long time.