Defences
Shadowlight
Long Branch Records
High class post hardcore alt metal. Killer vocals. Intriguing intros. Heavy duty lyrics. ‘[Trauma and pain] doesn’t define you/It’s not gonna leave/Can we look in the mirror/Accept what we see?’ (‘Gold In The Dark’). This is the essence of ‘Shadowlight’. Embracing the discomfort and the dark side. Acceptance of inner turmoil and uncontrollable outer events never sounded so good. ‘Perish’ actually comes across like conflicting demons swirling in your head. ‘The Curse’ kicks off with low key lines before Defences rip the guts out of the song by dropping everything they’ve got, notably William Young’s vocals at the low end and Cherry Duesbury’s at the top, with her stunning, almost panicked vox imploring, ‘I can’t keep living in a nightmare’. ‘Shadowlight’ sounds so fresh, but Defences are already established, with millions of streams and many devoted fans. This album and the coming tour will see them gain shedloads more. Of both.
Review by Jo Wright