Anatomy of Habit, Anatomy of Habit (side A)

Anatomy of Habit's self-titled 2011 debut consists of two side-long tracks.  While the gradually-evolving builds and fades of these extended structures give a modern context that references bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor, the group's sonic palette draws from an older set of influences.  An obvious comparison to the well-executed, precise pounding might be the Birthday Party.  Blake Edwards's metallic percussion setup evokes obvious comparisons to Z'ev or Neubaten.  While Mark Solotroff presents a strong visual presence at their live shows, his consistently flat, off-key vocals reference later-80s, overtly goth styles that are less my taste than the instrumental parts alongside them.  The recordings have trouble capturing some of the harsh high-end, especially in the metal percussion, but they smoothly reflect the broad dynamic range of the evolving tracks.  The impressive packaging includes a simple die-cut cover through which a printed inner sleeve peeks through.