ALBUM REVIEW: "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures"

By Frank De Blase

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Nasty Habit

"Desperate Times, Desperate Measures"

Self-released

Nastyhabitkills.com

Nasty Habit surprises with "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures," the band's second release. Its five fantastic songs of classic hard-rock/metal positively rocks, soars, and boogies. The band's earlier breakneck abandon was cool to hear — and watch — but if it escalated any further, chances are there was going to be a body count.

It's damn near impossible to reference a musical era without getting caught up in its excess and clichés, however the Upstate upstarts in Nasty Habit manage to harness hair metal without the tired tongue-in-cheek absurdity of most that try and fail. The casual observer might have predicted this album as merely a flashy, reckless hard 'n' heavy follow up, but the band has expertly learned to apply the brakes on the curves by incorporating power ballad elements that fit well with the overall metal feel.

This is a mature collection of songs you'd expect on a band's third or fourth album after it started out strong on number one, and got it's motley ya-ya's out on number two. The problem is, a lot of bands in this genre burn out long before that happens. Nasty Habit endures and with "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures," the boys in the band are keeping metal alive as much as metal has saved them from the fire. I can't wait to see where Nasty Habit goes next ...