When No Echo last checked in with Detroit's Moral Pollution in 2023, the band was already carving out a sound that pulled from hardcore, d-beat, and crust. Their new release, Depravity, Vol. 2, closes out a two-part series that leads directly into their upcoming full-length, Patterns of Depravity, and captures a lineup that finally feels locked in.
"We've written a lot of new music since then," the band tells No Echo about their approach since we last connected. "Faster, heavier, darker." A key shift came with the addition of guitarist Chris Mojan, a longtime friend who also plays in Fireworks. His arrival has pushed the songwriting forward as the band works toward its first full-length.
But the evolution goes deeper than just lineup changes. Looking back, the band feels it has at last nailed down their approach. "We've been able to identify what Moral Pollution actually is—the tone of the songs both musically and lyrically," they explain. "Touching on personal and societal dynamics and the tension and frustration that comes from living in such complicated and exhausting times."
"It's darker and more tense," the band says. "The earlier lyrics were mostly politically charged and topical, whereas now they come from more of a personal standpoint without leaving behind the original intent the band was founded on."
That approach runs through both Depravity, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which set the stage for Patterns of Depravity. The concept digs into the band's namesake, looking at how quickly society can be shaped, corrupted, and broken down. "The impact of it doesn't need to be put under a microscope to be observed," the band says. "These four songs are a perfect example of where we're headed stylistically."
Moral Pollution still leans on a d-beat backbone, but the new songs push further into structure, melody, and atmosphere. The aggression which marked their early work is still there. That range was on display when Moral Pollution shared a stage with Napalm Death, a milestone the band calls a bucket-list moment. "When we started this band, the hope was to be able to fit on metal shows, hardcore shows, and punk shows and go over well at all of them," they say. "That show was an exact representation of that."
Away from the stage, Moral Pollution has also watched the Michigan hardcore scene continue to flourish. The members point to Tied Down Fest as a spark for the explosion of new bands and renewed excitement throughout the state. They've been watching newer bands like Escalation of Force, Pluto's Kiss, Soot, and Love Fool.
"We're lucky to be in such a fast-growing and wide-ranging scene musically right now," the band adds. "The styles go from Youth Crew to slam. It's all over the place, and everyone comes out to every show. It's truly a beautiful thing we have right now, and it's thriving more than we've ever seen."
Next, Moral Pollution heads into the studio to record Patterns of Depravity, set for release later this year. "We're currently tightening everything up and preparing to record our first full-length this summer," the band says. "That will be out toward the end of the year."
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Moral Pollution on social media: Instagram
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