The Faint

The Faint is an American indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, recognized as pioneers of the dance-punk and post-punk revival genres that heavily influenced the early 2000s electroclash boom. Formed in 1995 (originally as Norman Bailer, briefly featuring Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes), the core of the band, led by vocalist Todd Fink and drummer Clark Baechle, quickly shifted away from guitar-driven indie rock to an aggressive, synth-heavy sound built on sequencers, analog keyboards, and raw post-punk energy. Their seminal albums, such as 1999’s Blank-Wave Arcade and the **2001 classic Danse Macabre, established their signature blend of robotic Detroit electro beats, dark and cynical lyrics, and a famously theatrical, lighting-heavy stage production designed to incite a chaotic dance party, cementing their status as influential, boundary-pushing artists who dared to put dance back into rock music.