Defeater- Defeater

Boston-based titans of melodic hardcore, Defeater, recently released their latest LP Defeater and it’s an absolute banger. While the band has undergone some line-up changes, most notably the departure of founding guitarist and producer Jay Maas, they have bounced back with a fresh take on their familiar sound that has held many of us captive over their enduring career.

I am a huge sucker for concept albums. That being said, when Defeater announced that they would be creating a fifth album based on the same concept as the last four, I have to admit that I was a little worried. I was worried that a band I have grown to adore would begin to burn out or lose steam. Their previous album, Abandoned, seemed like a fitting end to the massive story, but the boys had other plans and after listening a few times I am glad they did. The previous four albums have revolved around a family in post-WW2 America from the views of the brother who kills their drunk father, the brother who seeks revenge for their father, the father as he fought and returned from WW2, and the priest who loses faith and with whom the mother had an affair. It is a long and winding road into the darkest dysfunctions of family and the band tell it beautifully, only on this album they choose to use the album to close out many of the holes left over the previous albums as they use multiple different perspectives. The album begins with a thunderous song titled The Worst of Fates and it is packed full of the energy and power that Defeater have carved their names into. Vocalist Derek Archambault dispels any question of him losing a step and the riffs do not shy away one bit. The opener flows seamlessly into the next song, List & Heel, a personal favorite of mine. List & Heel has one of the better melodies that the band has produced over the past few albums and it shows an exciting new direction that the band could find helpful. The vocals are raw and bruised while the guitars and drums exchange punches and the bass line takes you in the direction of swinging your head side to side instead of headbanging. Atheists in Foxholes kicks things back up a notch with a more traditional hardcore sound. One thing that new producer Will Yip does on this track is use isolated vocals and feedback static as a way of magnifying the vocal work which adds an extra layer to the album. Mother’s Sons is another banger that solidify the bands’ standing and showcase the amazing drum-work of one of the best drummers in the scene, Joe Longobardi (Also of The Amity Affliction). The next two songs, Desperate and All Roads, are more or less the same songs seen across the other albums- hand crafted melodic hardcore that fill the story-line. However, they are followed up by Stale Smoke which does not disappoint as we get delighted with yet another heavy bass line that flows in and out of the vocal barrage. The album does an extremely good job at creating the heavy atmosphere even without Archambault’s passionate screams-another great addition that Will Yip brought. Although many fans have shared displeasure that the album takes a different approach by making the vocals lower than they have been and instead bringing the instrumental work to the forefront, I think it played out great. Granted, when you’re creating a concept album the lyrics and vocals are an importantly instrumental component, but I actually like what the band did here and let the instruments break through and have a larger role in creating the album’s feel and sound. The rest of the album, Dealer/Debtor, No Guilt, Hourglass, and No Man Born Evil close out the album with the same aggressive force that opened it.

Overall, the album is a win for a band that I, and many others, worried were close to the end. Defeater is a wonderfully-crafted final chapter in a book that the band has been writing for quite a while. However, it still leaves the listener excited for the next tale that they choose to craft. For fans of melodic hardcore with groovy bass and impassioned vocals, this is your album.

Top Songs: List & Heel, Mother’s Sons, No Guilt