Back in 2017, two friends Donovan de Necker and Tom Mong began talks of creating Dispraised. Both agreed to make something very different and special for Christian punk rock fans to enjoy. Enter a true punk rock sound and style created by the two that in and of itself offers a critique against the mundane that passes for “punk rock” and has become only little more than milquetoast elementary school ear fodder. Dispraised took on Justin Ram (of the Grave Robber, The Jericho Harlot fame) as their drummer who held the same convictions and critical ideals that the band had clearly aired. Justin began to record live drums for Dispraised’s first full-length album, “Moral Rot.” which was released on January 28, 2022.
The band quotes, “When one dispraises something it means they disapprove and offer criticism or complete disapproval. Sounds negative, right? Well, if you are on the wrong end of that criticism, it sure is! Yet, if you are upholding an absolute moral standard as laid out in as an authoritative truth text, then the world’s ever moving, constantly changing subjective moral relativism is primed on the chopping block for some seriously cutting critiques.” “Moral Rot is a project that captures and channels the cutting snark, criticism and outright attitude of some of the most renowned punk rock bands in music history. Dispraised holds nothing back and channels the aggressive anti-PC stance of such legendary punk/hardcore legends as Fear, Black Flag and the Bad Brains. The difference is Dispraised’s lyrics come from a faith filled Christian stance and are firmly rooted in scripture.”
While I’ve officially known Donovan as a fellow Metal-resource-er, I was glad to have been handed the responsibility to review his band’s work, and it is nothing short of an honor. The album rip roars with “Babylon’s Grip” which sets the album off with great energy. Donovan’s crunchy guitar riffs paired with Justin’s high adrenaline beats and Tom’s upbeat and political vocals makes it quite a vivid song. “Faith Vulture” carries on with the energy, and blasts off with incredible guitar chugs with equally impressive drum beats, what captivated my attention was the song’s thought provoking and powerful lyrics.
“Slowly Dying” rumbles on with a loud bass and crafty drum beats, and perpetual guitar chugs, what again stands out for me was the message that the bands’ narrating through its songs. “Reaper’s Kiss” follows suit from its predecessor and builds heavily on melody. The song takes an interesting stance with vocal delivery as we see two styles being paralleled giving it quite a contrast and colour. The song went up to No. 4 on the CWM loud charts and has been in the top 25 for 19 weeks. “Into Filth” gets on heavy with guitar’s chugging married well to an easy to headbang drum beat, the vocals take on a narrative styled delivery with plenty of mixing that adds a great ambience to the track. Nevertheless, the track is fueled with politically strong lyrics and felt like a breather on an otherwise heavy album.
“The Hunt” pounces off a loud bass riffing on a crafty drum sequence as it brings on the crunchy guitars layering a duelling of varied vocal styles, driven through and through with well crafted song arrangements. The drums did it for me on this one, got me grooving and moving! “Stand Alone” picks up pace and plunges into a high adrenaline mode, definitely a riot-wracking, mosh-pit worthy track of the album. The album ends with “Division Lines” which is as punk as it gets with the chords accentuated to use the root notes giving the song a powerful yet funky tone. The song has a catchy chorus and definitely one of the songs to get the crowds engaged, live or offline. Oh and what a brilliant Outro!
Production – The production on this album was amazing. Every sound on this album was raw and crisp, the tones were balanced and every instrument got its fair share.
Conclusion – The album is definitely lyrically driven, the message is strong, the music raw and fresh, and being a punk record the band kept the delivery tight. Donovan’s guitar riffs paired with Tom’s snarling vocals and thought-provoking lyrics make “Moral Rot” a truly one-of-a-kind project. Overall, a great album, and worthy of multiple repeats! Go buy!
Rating: 8.5/10
Written by: Ankit Sood
Band Members:
Donovan de Necker – Guitars
Tom Mong – Vocals
Justin Ram – Drums
Track Listing:
- Babylon’s Grip
- Faith Vultures
- Slowly Dying
- Reaper’s Kiss
- Into Filth
- The Hunt
- Stand Alone
- Division Lines
Release Date: Dec. 1st. 2021
Record Label: Rottweiler Records
Go hit all of their socials: Social Media Links
Lyric Video for ‘Babylons Grip’
Lyric video for ‘Reapers Kiss’
