Product of Neglect may not be a name you are familiar with, but the Brisbane deathcore act have today unleashed their brutal debut album, Synthetic Freedom, which will surely put them on the map. Featuring the singles “Perpetual Night” and “Cerberus”, the nine-track project was a long time coming and went through numerous iterations to get where it is now.
Forming on New Year’s Eve in 2019, guitarists Pierce Thompson and Greg Laird were jamming with now-vocalist Brandon Lee Haase on drums when the idea of starting a band came to fruition. When the trio discovered that Haase could sound like he had been smoking since the womb, they quickly appointed him as such and sought out old friend Chris Barsby to replace him behind the kit. A year later, add bassist Chris Steley to the mix and you have the finished Product – see what we did there?
Synthetic Freedom was originally intended to be released as two EPs over a nine-month period. However, after realising that the same themes and eerie sonic atmosphere were prevalent in each song, the band later decided to collate them into a single project. Following the linear lyrical narrative, the album progresses through a story of love, hate, conflict, abandonment then, eventually, neglect.
The album as a whole is a reflection of the dystopian world we currently live in, addressing issues such as judgement, depression, loss and fear. These are unavoidable aspects of life that everyone can relate to and must deal with in one way or another. This message was conceived by five different people who came together for one purpose: to make music that moves you, whether emotionally or in the pit.
Sludgy slams, blistering blast beats and brutal breakdowns are littered throughout with filthy gutturals to activate even the most reluctant of stank faces. From ominous opener “Echo in Suffering” to catchy, chaotic closer “Stop and Stare”, Synthetic Freedom takes the listener on a journey that will leave them inevitably stronger and ready to break things by the end of it. Complete with beefy riffs and menacing horror film samples, the punchy, crystal clear mix makes the record an impressive debut that abounds in quality over quantity.
The heavy locals have been cutting their teeth in the live scene with a string of shows last year and are set to play Alternate Heavy Fusion festival at The Back Room in Brisbane on 3 Feb. If you like your music loud, livid and local, then this is the band for you!
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