A band of stars, THE DEFIANTS is made up of veterans who have all played in the band DANGER DANGER. And while they had not all played in D2 together, their chemistry is absolutely explosive. This self-titled Melodic Rock album is absolute dynamite and is everything you love about the genre. With fantastic vocals and writing, every song is enjoyable and catchy; and the breezy air makes it easy to just turn on and groove to. I have to give it to the band members for striking out and setting themselves apart despite their common link with DANGER DANGER; and for not abusing that established history and really striking out as something new.

There is definitely a certain Glam Rock essence that is felt throughout the album, but it is not the dominant sound. The only way I can describe it is that listening to this track list live, in a packed stadium, would be phenomenal. It just has that grand sense of scale and energy that gets a crowd revved up. "Love and Bullets", the second track, is great example of this with its soaring vocals and resonant echoes during the choruses. The tone gets a little more forlorn with "Last Kiss" and "That's When I'll Stop Loving You", which sound like all out 80s Classic-Rock love-ballads.

Things get ramped back up with the final track "Underneath the Stars"; a plaintive anthem about someone who is reminiscing about their first time and wondering if the other person still thinks about them also. The guys from THE DEFIANTS have something really special, and whilst there isn't a single track here that I didn't love, my favourite just might be "When the Lights Go Down". There is simply something about its sound that reminds me a lot of industry giants like AEROSMITH and TWISTED SISTER.

I think "Take Me Back" really exemplifies the whole album; it takes you back to a time many people remember fondly, particularly when it comes to Rock 'n' Roll. The fantastic vocals by Laine, the catchy Pop lyrics, the silky smooth 80s style chorus lines, and the killer riffs are all combined to make a truly memorable album. I would have never guessed that the band members didn't record all of this together and it was mixed afterwards; it is just so slick and solid. You would have to be either totally nuts or absolutely hate everything Rock 'n' Roll to turn down THE DEFIANTS.