ALBUM REVIEW: Habitual Depravity – Realms Of Abysmal Servitude

Here I review the new full length from Habitual Depravity, promising some Brutal Death Metal! The release is out now via Realityfade Records!

1. Prelude To Iniquity opens things with eerie ambience to set the dark mood and intensity for the album ahead. The pummelling instrumentals fade in leading to a bleaker pace than expected which hopefully adds some dissonance to the record. This was a really cool introduction.
2. Vile Retribution kicks right into brutal Death Metal with a strong Malignancy vibe to it filled with chaotic instrumentals and punchy pinch harmonics. All of this is topped by some amazing gruesome growls from the vocalist. The drums are ludicrously fast while the piercing guitars hit all the right spots. This first full track from the band is incredibly promising with a tight combination of sheer brute strength and some nice technical flourishes too.
3. Sanguinary Revelations follows up with more intensely grinding Death Metal that is just so abrupt and extremely groovy. The production and songwriting are absolutely pitch perfect while the musicianship and performance is just incredible too. The frantic attack of the piece is once more filled with technical proficiency and some primal grinding assaults which in equal measure ensure this is yet another fantastic track.
4. Enduring Misanthropic Horror grinds out more absolutely phenomenal and jarring technicality with killer riffs and drums to match with more morbid grunts overlaying them. The huge sound of the band with its modern freight train of attacking Metal mania is just so damn awesome. The music so far has been totally unrelenting and this decimating piece is absolutely no exception. Another tirelessly savage and epic track from the band.
5. Indoctrinated fires right back into ferociously epic grooves with some absolutely mesmerising guitar work and catatonically crushing drums that just obliterate your senses when mixed with the vitriolic vocal performance that accompanies the insane instrumentals. Now that I am done messing around with alliteration, this track is seriously furious, it totally rips through some really incredible and tight songwriting with total precision while being filled with attitude. Killer work!
6. Malformation In Essence drops into a more laid back and dissonant bleak soundscape with intermittent technical flamboyance that is epic as it is unnerving with a really cool progressive touch to things, giving the release more diversity while keeping in check with the crushing brutality that is predominant. Some amazing work on this from the whole band whose abilities really do shine through on this instrumental assault which is filled with gorgeous tone and excellent grooves.
7. Psychotic Manifestation gives us vocals that come right in after their absence in the last track and furiously pummelling Death Metal insanity at full speed with no holds barred. This much shorter piece is a violent and tormenting track that just obliterates after the more reserved instrumental piece the preceded adding a wonderful bit of contrast to the album, which I think makes it a lot more unique than many similar releases. Once again, an incredibly strong track!
8. Realms Of Abysmal Servitude is the finishing piece for this album. More dissonance and cascading riffs with punctually fantastic drumming chaos soon blasts us into oblivion for one final round of technical, brutal and simply astounding music. This last track takes the album out in style, with full speed and groove. No need for some lame last faltering piece, this album ends in the same brutal fashion it has kept consistent from the onset. Excellent!

This is some superb modern Death Metal that is brutal, technical and stays true to the more up-to-date formula. I really enjoyed this release and certainly something to add to your last minute, end-of-year releases to check out. -8/10