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Defeater

Empty Days & Sleepless Nights

Written by: PP on 11/03/2011 06:16:49

Defeater is a hardcore band out of Boston, Massachusetts. They are also one of the most hyped and appreciated bands in the genre in recent memory for one simple reason: they have an instantly identifiable signature sound that hasn't been imitated successfully by anyone else than Ruiner, another excellent band in the genre. "Empty Days & Sleepless Nights" is yet another solid example of how hardcore can be written to be harsh and direct while pertaining the catchy melodies and memorable song structures of melodic punk/hardcore in the mix.

"Dear Father" and "Empty Glass" give a good introduction to the coarse-and-passionate yelling style of the Defeater vocalist, balancing melody well against the harsher edges of hardcore to provide a nice middle ground between punk and hardcore. Defeater songs are not fast, instead opting for a medium tempo to allow for their vocalist to dominate the musical landscape with his instantly identifiable screaming style.

But where the record really succeeds on is in its middle part starting from "No Kind Of Home". All kinds of melody start raining down while their hardcore approach is pushed aside for some extremely melodic moments where the vocalist really makes a mark for himself.

"White Knuckles" is perhaps as brilliant an example of melodic (non-punk) hardcore as it comes, with a high-flying guitar melody contrasted by decipherable screams and rich, textured soundscape that's bound to put chills on your back.

"Cemetery Walls" is another masterpiece, again laying the brutal against the melody to provide an infectiously catchy product in a genre where such description is a rarity. There's a strong quiet/loud dynamic being played on - and it works' to near perfection. You listen to these two songs and wonder why anyone doubts why the name Defeater carries so much hype.

And you know what? Whenever you meet fans of the discordant, monotonous brand of hardcore who tell you their bands are far superior to the rest in hardcore, Defeater are one of the prime bands to shove to their face which prove that hardcore can simultaneously be harsh, grating, coarse and all that stuff, while also providing melodic, memorable chant-alongs that last beyond a single listen to the record. "Empty Days & Sleepless Nights" is merely another excellent example of how awesome and genre-defying hardcore can be when done right.

Download: White Knuckles, Cemetary Walls, No Kind Of Home
For the fans of: Have Heart, Verse, Ruiner
Listen: Myspace

Release date 08.03.2011
Bridge Nine