Defences, False Gods
Self-released

Can we believe there’ll be a better day? With a guttural growl and a crash of drums, alt-metal quintet Defences’ latest single, False Gods, is a cry for change. Serving as the third taste of upcoming October album In The Balance, the release continues to showcase the group’s ability to produce distinctive, emotionally charged tracks.

What is immediately evident about Defences is how gorgeously the clean and unclean vocalists compliment one another. Cherry Duesbury’s mystifying voice delicately cuts through William Alex Young’s pained growls, the contrast sharp and stunning. The instrumentals only seem to emphasise the contrast, fierce drums melting into Duesbury’s shimmering, echoing soundscape.

Shifting dynamics perfectly fit the track’s inspiration; inspired by the BLM movement, False Gods is bursting with a conflicted intensity. You experience the mournful, ferocious frustration over how humanity refuses to listen, before floating into an optimistic realm hoping for change – the pair melding together for a cry of ‘listen to us screaming!’

False Gods hints at a band wise beyond its years. This is a sound that already feels classic, a sound that is sure to win alt-metal fans over immediately. With its powerful singles already providing a solid backbone, In The Balance is truly set to be a screamer of an album.

In The Balance is out 15/10. Pre-order here.