Egowerk

At its genesis, social-media platforms posited themselves as new, innovative ways to connect with friends and family. You could share and promote your work, trade insights on the latest pop-culture phenomenon, coo over a friend’s new pet or baby - the possibilities seemed as boundless as the Internet itself had in the early ‘90s. But as one platform begot another, and then another, the proverbial milk started to curdle. Especially in the last decade, as algorithms evolve, Facebook and Twitter have morphed into warped personalized mirrors, where users can gaze at and react to left- or right-leaning news sources, specific-to-them advertisements, and—perhaps most relevant—fiery political opinions. Facebook in particular has become a breeding ground for hate speech and bullying, among other issues.

This is precisely what troubles Omaha electro-punk pioneers The Faint on their forthcoming seventh studio album, Egowerk. “Social media is turning well-meaning people into self-important cruel monsters,” asserts lead singer Todd Fink. “Egowerk’s focus is on the current social state of the Internet: an amazing world of free knowledge, communication, and opportunity is proving to be a toxic battleground. One where the people most sure of their opinion are quick to take a stand and destroy anyone who doesn’t agree with them.”

Now with their latest effort, the group began to construct Egowerk shortly after releasing their 2016 career-spanning record, Capsule:1999-2016, with Baechle making frequent trips back to Omaha from his new home in Philadelphia to mix the record. “We came up with the foundation of nearly an entire song each day, every day,” says Fink. “We worked really fast and made a lot of progress at the beginning.”

Recording at Enamel Studios in Omaha, The Faint composed 11 blistering tracks that explore society’s current relationship to, well, themselves. Despite The Faint’s nihilistic musings on Egowerk, Fink and Baechle remain optimistic that things can improve if society is willing to absorb dueling perspectives.