(Here’s Vonlughlio’s review of the new album by the Australian band Habitual Depravity.)
This time around I was given the opportunity to do a small review for the band Habitual Depravity‘s debut album Realms of Abysmal Servitude, which will be released via Reality Fade Records on December 30th.
This project was started in Australia by Jono, and in 2017 the same label (Reality Fade) released a two-song promo, which was well-received and got a lot of us hoping for a full-length release soon. So when the announcement of the debut album was made in early 2018 I was stoked, especially because we learned that the drummer for this effort would be none other than Lord Marco Pitruzzella (Abuse, Hunhau Mitnal, Neurogenic, Six Feet Under, Sleep Terror, ex-Vital Remains, ex-The Faceless), who is one talented speedster behind the kit.
Time passed and yours truly was already thinking about his top BDM albums for 2018 when, what do you know, I received the promo for the album, stopped everything, and proceeded to listen. After the album finished, I quickly hit play again, which is a sign of how much I enjoyed it. The intro starts a bit slowly, giving the listeners a brief idea of what they are going to witness. After that the second song comes in, and at less than two minutes is a much faster (and precise) intro into the vortex.
The whole thing lasts about 29 minutes and is a great example of BDM with Tech influences in the riffs, with melodic bits scattered here and there in a way that does not hinder the overall brutal impact of this effort.
Each song has a life of its own, thanks to the variety within their sections, keeping one engaged in the story these musicians are telling, all tied together through the cover art of the song titles. That is something worth mentioning, when a project can create something that is all tied together and the concept so well-executed both visually and musically.
Jono is responsible for vocals, guitar, and bass, and does a good job in all three departments. The riffs are diverse, and the changes occur at spot-on points to enhance the vicious richness of the music, while the bass is a true hero here — very audible and with a great tone. Not surprisingly, Lord Marco does a spectacular job behind the kit and reinforces why he is considered a Drum God. He goes so fast, almost beyond belief, but does so much more than perform feats of sheer speed.
You now have the chance to hear a couple of songs from the upcoming album via the Reality Fade Bandcamp page. Please do give them a listen, and support the album if you enjoy what you hear. This is a great release, and I’m certainly looking forward to what the project does next.
PRE-ORDER:
https://realityfaderecords.bandcamp.com/album/realms-of-abysmal-servitude
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/habitualdepravity/