"With a well-rounded combination of glitchy synths, technically impressive riffs and piercing vocal refrains, there's a refreshing sense of individuality running through 'With Might And Main' that's often missing from bands of this ilk"
- Rocksound
"An original and fresh debut from a cracking band with the world at their fingertips? Hell to the yeah. One listen to Defences' debut album will convince you that there is still life in the post-hardcore model"
- Powerplay Rock and Metal Magazine
"Into awesome new metalcore, similar to Pierce The Veil or Sleeping With Sirens? Then check this fiery quintet out immediately."
- Kerrang! Magazine
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After a year that saw several tours fall through and a slew of line-up changes, Hertfordshire metalcore quintet Defences came dangerously close to breaking point. Facing a monolithic, crippling creative plateau, the band found themselves trapped in a void of feeling burned out and overwhelmingly jaded towards the heavy music scene they had once held such love for.
Defences vocalist Cherry Duesbury recalls the band reaching their lowest point:
"I myself was virtually on my knees, having undertaken a big move and adjusting to a new job at the same time. As musicians, we all love to think that music comes first, but when your personal life is affected by large-scale, pivotal events, it can really wear you down. We somehow all suffered at the same time, and it really put a strain on Defences as a unit"
Sometimes it takes merely a single spark to re-ignite the fires of passion. Defences, on the other hand, were struck with a sudden explosion of revitalising fire. As newcomer William Young arrives to arm the Hertfordshire quintet with a fresh arsenal of screamed vocal fury, the band find themselves able to inject their unbridled rage into an earth-shattering new video single, 'Shatter'!
WATCH 'SHATTER' VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE:
[MA GDPR YouTube] Invalid video id.Defences are painfully aware that 'Shatter' has been born out of hardship and frustration, but it's creation has felt like a watershed moment for each of the band's members:
"Everything has fallen into place and all the pressure has been relieved", comments Cherry. "In a way, I think that's more or less the meaning of the song. A passion reborn, a flame reignited, a rediscovery of the music we live for and a new appreciation of what it means to overcome. It feels as though we've moved away from the clear-sky thinking prevalent in the album, and instead are putting forward a more lived and experienced take on self-improvement and motivation that embraces the difficult times rather than pretending they don't exist."
Though 'Shatter' serves as a statement from the band of their reinforced solidarity and return to form, it also presents the opportunity for the band to showcase Will's screamed vocals, which serve to add contrast and compliment to Cherry's melodic grace.
On his decision to join Defences, Will says:
"Shatter was a great point of entry for me with Defences as they felt very much in the same mindset as myself. The song represents a new start for not only myself, but the band as well and that's quite apparent in the slight shift in sound".
On the content of 'Shatter', Will offers his own insights:
"It's a message to anyone who feels trapped or alone in whatever situation they may be in, a reason can always be drawn to what may seem like chaos and that there is always a way out. We've been experimenting with new ideas quite a lot and Shatter is a nice bridge between the band's previous work and what we have in the pipeline."
'Shatter' is out now, and available to stream and purchase online via Spotify and iTunes!
https://open.spotify.com/track/6r2hKz3TUFeez0KWrjOdTN?si=k1tci48QSK6xy_N7rUcYZw
LIVE DATES
Defences recently announced that they will support London melodic metal act The Raven Age on their upcoming UK tour! Tickets can be purchased HERE.
https://myticket.co.uk/gigs/the-raven-age-london-2019-03-28-19-00?fbclid=IwAR3JgQdRWDLHn0iE24lnC9ap3ToAdC26xPie-261-Jjc1aPNQ3wHcajbcYc
MARCH TOUR DATES:
Wed 20th - Bristol, Fleece
Thurs 21st - Manchester, Rebellion
Sat 23rd - Newcastle, Think Tank
Sun 24th - Glasgow, Attic
Tue 26th - Leeds, Key Club
Wed 27th - Stoke, Sugarmill
Thurs 28th - London Underworld
Fri 29th - Southampton Joiners
MORE INFO ON DEFENCES
Defences are a band that are starting 2019 in great form. Formed in 2014 upon the release of their debut EP "Stitches in Sanity," they have since released 4 singles and their album "With Might and Main" to both critical and commercial success, with their songs having accrued 1,500,000 Spotify streams to date.
They begin this next chapter of the band bolstered by the addition of screamer and second vocalist William Young, and are pleased to be able to bring a more grounded and lived iteration of their message of positivity to their fans over the coming release cycle. With the band set to add to their extensive touring history having also provided support to Our Last Night, For the Fallen Dreams, The Raven Age, Our Hollow Our Home, Mallory Knox and SleepWave over the years, the future of this versatile and ever-changing act looks brighter than ever.
Stay tuned for more on Defences!
Defences is:
Cherry Duesbury - Vocalist
William Young - Screamer
Calum Wilmot - Guitarist
Ian Harrington - Bassist
Kyle Parke - Drummer
https://www.facebook.com/Defences
