The Faint do it their way.

Before Electroclash and the wave of 00's Dance-rock there was The Faint, emerging in the late 1990s in Omaha, Nebraska—a place known more for stoic practicality than synth-punk. In that unlikely setting of beige restraint, they pioneered a sound that combined the melodic essence of new wave, the raw edge of post-punk, and the robotic futurism of Detroit electro. Breaking free from indie rock’s humble comfort, they arrived armed with synths, dark eyeliner, and a raw, frenetic energy that dared audiences to actually feel something real, something primal. The late ’90s and early 2000s indie scene was primed for a shock, and The Faint delivered—not just as a band, but as an invitation to cast off coolness, to sweat, to move, and to live fully in the moment.

When Wet From Birth arrived in 2004, it built on their synth-punk foundation. Orchestral layers and more intricate arrangements added depth without taming its confrontational and sometimes paranoid spirit. The band toured relentlessly, including an unexpected arena tour with No Doubt that ended with a stage prank that sent Todd to a New Mexico jail cell. (Don’t worry, Gwen bailed him out.)