Review: “No Joy” EP by Habits

Hardcore Slam quartet from Buffalo New York Habits released “No Joy” in March 2018 having became one of the first bands to sign to Emmure frontman Frankie Palmeri’s Redzone Recordings.

Soaked in feedback and gloom laiden riffage “Bleed DMT” starts with a slow menacing groove that builds from its slow burn into a juddering buzz saw of a tune as their vocalist declares he’s going to throw up. “Strung Out” continues the feedback heavy raw guitar sound but brings in a a sharper Metallic Hardcore riff once the initial bludgeon of chunky riffs and squeals subsides. The drum sound is a triumph as it’s clean and thunderous in complete contrast to the dirty guitar sound. There is a nice use of an atmospheric clean vocal for a fraction of a second to give you a tease before the brutal bark kicks back in. “People Change” has a faster tempo from the start with a solid gang chant at the end be of th opening verse. Shifting through the gears, it gets progressively faster to the point of nausea before pulling things back and building from the start again. Guest vocals from Cody Canning of Depreciator and Derek Bajas of Burn The Book and Dishonoured fame and some alternative pitch to the vocal fame work, each taking verse and delivering a punch in the face performance.

Bringing some Hardcore Punk to the table “Pale Doom” brings the core sound to the fore after some initial sparing. It’s raw, unapologetic aggression at its finest. Big chugging riffs with a sense of groove and even melody in places that’s buried underneath a thick layer of feedback, squeals and that caustic barked vocal. EP title track “No Joy” has something of Knocked Loose at their heaviest and most ferocious. It’s 110 second burst flows through some slowed down Grindcore riffs to the final chant of “No Joy” and mic drop. The EP is dark, dirty, heavy, raw and ugly. It’s the polar opposite of any polished stainless steel chart Metal band. This is Underground Metal at its finest [7/10]