In 2017, guitarist/vocalist Austin Thomas formed VACUOUS DEPTHS in Tampa, Florida – the birthplace of death metal. He recruited drummer Christ Wotring and bassist Doug Gialluca, and promptly recorded a digital-only six-song demo. After a handful of shows, both Wotring and Gialluca exited the group. Thomas would not be deterred, and took his heavy churning songs with him. Re-formed and reinvigorated, VACUOUS DEPTHS launched in to 2019 with new bassist Arturo Palomo and with a re-release of their 2017 six-song demo on Texas label Goat Throne Records. Joined by new drummer Dustin Rogers, the band entered The Hum Depot studio with Dan Byers in October of 2021 to record their debut full-length, Corporal Humiliation.
A grand entrance, to say the very least, Corporal Humiliation disgustingly displays VACUOUS DEPTHS at their rawest, most furious, and most uncomfortable. Not just typical Tampa death metal – although, undeniably, those are the band’s roots – here VACUOUS DEPTHS drown in the influence of primitive late 1980s and early 1990s death metal as a (w)hole: only the most wretched and wrong sounds abound. A true DEATH METAL record for true death metal diehards, nevertheless do the power-trio put their own twist on the pummeling sounds from some of the most notorious scenes of Finland, Mexico, and South America. And at 10 songs in a murderously swift 34 minutes, Corporal Humiliation does exactly what it says on the tin and gets the fuck out before the perpetrators get caught. Evil deeds done dirt cheap? Truly, these are VACUOUS DEPTHS…