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░ ██ ██ Artist: Defeat ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: The Winds Have Changed █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-06-28 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Black Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: A Fine Day to Die Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Remastered ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ It is difficult to imagine a metal band doing █
█ something new in the year 2014. The amount of █
█ generic bands to exist at this point in history is █
█ monumental, making it increasingly difficult for █
█ die hard metal fans to find something that peaks █
█ their interest. Black metal had long become a kind █
█ of self-parody, ôheavy metalö was full of █
█ pseudo-retro kids wearing spandex, and Viking █
█ metal was infested with second-rate bands █
█ recycling the same riffs and uninspired lyrical █
█ themes. While this can be seen as a cynical █
█ opinion, just spending 30 minutes on █
█ Metal-Archives is more than enough to prove the █
█ lack of quality, worthwhile bands that exist █
█ today. █
█ Hither forth comes Defeat, a band formed a little █
█ over a decade ago in Pennsylvania by sole member █
█ and mastermind Vidarr. Defeat plays ôheathen black █
█ heavy metalö, taking inspiration from the early █
█ years of black metal, traditional 80Æs heavy █
█ metal, and even folk and ambient genres. While █
█ Defeat has not re-invented the wheel, the band █
█ blends these influences in a unique and refreshing █
█ manner which is fierce in spirit and strong in █
█ execution. The Winds Have Changed is a prime █
█ example of how the band is ôforging a unique █
█ heathen pathö in the metal underground. █
█ The album begins with a synthesized instrumental █
█ song ôA Journey from Far Awayö, which could easily █
█ be classified as dungeon synth. Lush strings, █
█ heavy brass, and harp melodies soar over cymbal █
█ crashes, creating an atmosphere that actually █
█ feels as if the listener is embarking on a long █
█ journey. Track two instantly begins with an █
█ aggressive folk inspired riff that brings to mind █
█ the glory days of StormÆs ôNordavindö album. This █
█ immense riff is backed up by more synthesized █
█ brass and a great traditional guitar solo. The █
█ opening moments of this song exemplify DefeatÆs █
█ ability to combine early black metal with pure █
█ heavy metal in a manner that is heartfelt and █
█ strong, without sounding recycled or cliche. █
█ The vocal style of Vidarr is also commendable; a █
█ varying mix of comprehensible black metal growls █
█ and barbarian like clean singing. Defeat also █
█ possesses the unique ability to create memorable █
█ choruses, something long lost in black metal since █
█ the old days of ôInto the Crypts of Raysö. The █
█ Conan-like chants in the chorus remain in my head █
█ for days (ôOdin guide us in battle, Thor give us █
█ the strength, Tyr bring us victory tonight, and █
█ Loki stay out of the way!ö). █
█ The absolute highlight of the album is track █
█ three, ôThe Worlds Numbered Nineö. The song begins █
█ with another great synthesized orchestra intro, █
█ with melancholic strings and timpani percussion. █
█ The main riff features great dual guitar harmonies █
█ before evolving into a true headbanger. The entire █
█ song carries a feeling similar to many great █
█ classics from the early days of black and heavy █
█ metal, featuring lyrics from the Poetic Edda and █
█ again with an extremely memorable chorus featuring █
█ lyrics from the Havamal; ôFriends die and kinsmen █
█ die, so youÆll die yourself, but a noble name will █
█ long survive if honor in life be hadö. The █
█ incredible lyrical content is followed by a █
█ blazing guitar solo, before leading into more █
█ heavy brass and a string/harp section with the █
█ sounds of the steel of a sword being sharpened. █
█ The album is worth listening to just for this song █
█ alone, but luckily it is not the only gem to be █
█ found on The Winds Have Changed. █
█ VidarrÆs exceptional ability to craft high quality █
█ guitar solos is best represented in the █
█ instrumental track ôWho Guards the Rainbow █
█ Bridgeö. The song is nearly five minutes of █
█ serious heavy metal soloing over ethereal synth █
█ strings. This is not technical neo-classical █
█ shredding, nor is it mindless scales being played █
█ without direction; Vidarr has the ability to play █
█ focused and highly emotional guitar solos which █
█ have given Defeat a unique voice. This ability █
█ alone already sets the band aside from the █
█ countless metal bands who have not yet found their █
█ own form of expression. █
█ Other great moments appear all across the album; █
█ from the medieval classical guitar intro on ôReady █
█ For Warö to the thrashing ôfirst wave of black █
█ metalö riff in ôThe Darkness of MimirÆs Wellö. By █
█ the time the album ends with ôHeathen Battle Odeö, █
█ another epic synth instrumental which could easily █
█ be labeled as a Dungeon Synth song, you have █
█ experienced just over an hour of DefeatÆs heathen █
█ black heavy metal. The band may not be █
█ revolutionary or ground-breaking, yet still █
█ maintains a level of unique originality. Defeat █
█ has honored the age-old Metal tradition of paying █
█ homage to your musical roots while remaining █
█ genuine and sincere, rather than being just █
█ another clone with no creativity or spirit. There █
█ is power and passion in DefeatÆs music, and yet █
█ somehow this band has remained an undiscovered █
█ treasure. █
█ Barbarian Skull gives this album the highest █
█ recommendation for all who dare to tread the path █
█ of true heathen metal. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. A Journey From Far Away 2:53 ░
░ 2. We Are the Guardians of Asgard 7:04 ░
░ 3. The Worlds Numbered Nine 10:01 ░
░ 4. From the Darkness of Mimir's Well 6:53 ░
░ 5. Who Guards the Rainbow Bridge 4:50 ░
░ 6. What Man Could Not Attain 4:51 ░
░ 7. Ready for War 10:22 ░
░ 8. The Winds Have Changed 12:04 ░
░ 9. Heathen Battle Ode 4:48 ░
░ 10. The Storm of War 13:19 ░
░ 77:05 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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