Worship Metal Album Of The Week – Habu – Infinite

Source // Habu

Emerging in 2012 from the darkest depths of Ipswich, this thrilling three-piece has already made a dramatic impact on the UK prog rock scene and Habu have claimed the scalps of Uli Jon Roth and Deborah Bonham as openers and shared a billing with Magnum, Landmarq and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown; estimable company but handled with ease by this most promising act.

Alex Body (Bass, Vocals, Keyboards) is reminiscent of a young Greg Lake in style and sound and his compadres, Andy Clarke (Guitar, Vocals) and Alex Dunbar (Drums), also exhibit recognisable influences and direction and we’re talking the big guns of prog rock and metal here. Glimpses of Rush and Dream Theater shine through frequently and each one of the well constructed eight tracks on this, their second album, stands shoulder to shoulder with the greats of the sub-genre. “Heavy Chains”, in particular, also miraculously throws Wishbone Ash, Camel and some Floyd-esque vocals into the mix and as you delve deeper into the album echoes of Chris Squires inimitable bass style and Satriani-esque runs are identifiable. 

Sizeable similarities we know!

It’s fairly commonplace for bands to say they sound like this, that and the other but never actually step up to the mark and deliver the goods. Habu – in true bullshit marketing tradition – have put out similar claims but have defiantly pulled it out of the bag and Infinite is one hell of an achievement for a three piece….and the Rush comparisons are earned and fully justifiable! With Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart reaching a crossroads in their career someone needs to pick up their mantle and there’s no reason why Habu can’t be that band; Infinite almost feels like a lost sequel to Moving Pictures so they may as well seize the opportunity with both hands.

Habu are more than just an encouraging sign for the future of British prog rock, they’re an exciting prospect for the future of prog rock in general. Suffice to say Infinite (due for release on April 29th) is well worth your hard earned cash….get this down your psychedelic prog-lovin’ earhole’s post-haste! 8/10