I first came across Bad Habit with the release of their second album, 'Revolution' and the classic track Another Night. This album spent a lot of time in my CD player (mainly because I was trying to figure out the bass solo waterfall!) but their third album AOR I’ve only ever heard once and I thought it was too laid back in nature. So here we are some seven years later with band's fourth full studio album. I caught up with guitarist Hal Marabel at the first Firefest back in May when he was negotiating the release of this and here we are a week before Firefest II writing about it, not bad going! 

The album opens with 'To Love You', which starts with a programmed drum sound before the synths and real drums kick in and then the guitars produce that driving riff which is a typical of aBad habit rocker  complete with great guitar work!  Next up is 'I Swear'  which is another track that kicks off with a programmed feel and a catchy but heavy riff! 

'All That I Want' is a catchy power ballad as is to be expected in this slot whereas 'Walk Of Life' has an Arabian feel about, another recurring theme in my reviews recently and  also features as a video track at the end of the CD. The song itself is an okay rocker, although in the video guitarist Hal Marabel plays a proper 80’s rock guitar! 'Reason' is a heavy as fuck track with almost death metal vocals at the start before tunring into great up-tempo rocker! 

'Alive' features a programmed sound again, but this time with big guitars and various vocal effects to begin with before becoming a straight, ahead rocker.  'I Want To Know' is a typical mid tempo track from Bad Habit with a big 80’s style guitar solo! 'Take Control' features an absolute riff monster that Def Leopard would to have loved to have written and then with 'Tell Me Why we return to that programmed feel again with more big vocals and is more of a mid tempo  number in feel.

 'I’ll Be The One' is almost an out and out pop song and one that you could envisage some Pop Idol reject coverin, its an okay song at best, unfortunately just not up to the standard of the rest of the album. Tings get back on track though with 'I Can’t Help Myself' which proves to be another great riff led song. The album rounds out with the 'Air That I Breathe' which , given the title you might expect to be a cover but isn’t! It’s a great up-tempo number of the sort  that Bad habit do so well. 

The thing I love about this album is that although the songs are catchy as hell, there is no discernable influences on any of the tracks and really its be great fun to listen to. And I’ve need cheering up this weekend ! A great return from a very underrated band! 

Let us know your views on 'Hear-Say'

Track List

To Love You
I Swear
All That I Want
Walk Of Life
Reason
Alive
I Want To Know.
Take control
Tell Me Why
I’ll Be The One
I Can’t Help Myself
 Air That I Breathe

Line Up

Bax Fehling - Vocals
Hal Marabel - Guitar/ Keyboards
Sven Crinski - Guitar
Patrick Sodergren - Bass
Jamine Salazar - Drums.