When a band drops as many singles as THE DEFECT has on their way to the release of debut full-length DEATH X DESTINY (6 in total dating back to “DEFIANCE” in October of 2023), one might worry that it spoils the plot/takes away from the bigger picture and to that we defiantly say: “Balderdash!” (We’re bringing “Balderdash” back in 2025, btw)
It helps that the way THE DEFECT (Moon McBee, THE BROWNING’s Jonny McBee) has sequenced what’s come so far in the framework of DEATH X DESTINY flows so effortlessly as older songs mesh with currently unreleased ones in such a way that, for fans, it’s like listening to it all for the first time all over again.
Stylistically miles away from Jonny’s work with THE BROWNING, THE DEFECT is still a surprisingly intense listen that dwells more in the Heavy Electronic arena than in the Cyber Metal one that THE BROWNING inhabit regularly. But one could be forgiven for thinking that’s not the case when opener “ANNIHILATE” hits the ground running with a blistering track that easily could’ve come out of OMNI (THE BROWNING’s most recent LP if you didn’t already know) with crushing guitars and Jonny’s signature howl exploding out of the synthetic atmosphere before Moon’s ethereal presence comes into focus.
While the opener might’ve been shedding some of that leftover skin from THE BROWNING, “RUN” is THE DEFECT through and through on a glistening banger that delivers the first of many a memorable anthemic chorus from Moon. Most recent single “INTO THE VOID” was touted as the heaviest in THE DEFECT’s arsenal thus far and barring one other on the debut which we’ll get to soon, that’s not a far off assessment. Still, “INTO THE VOID” still manages to sound completely separate from THE BROWNING with Moon offering a different kind of aggression when her soaring vocals switch from angelic to angry.
“DREAMWALKER” showed up on our year end playlist for 2024 (Did you miss it? Click here for the whole shebang) because we felt it was a great representation of what THE DEFECT have going on in terms of their sweet and salty sides that’s more Linkin Park, less Lindemann. Next up, “LOST IN THE SHADOWS” was our first entrance into the world of THE DEFECT and as we said before, it’s all about the flow with this marking the halfway point as it lurches on with a massive wall of sound that flows exquisitely into “ETERNAL (what do you see)” which is the tip of the techno organic iceberg with these start/stop attacks breaking up Moon’s smooth vocal passages.
THE BROWNING makes a full guest appearance on “IMMORTAL” and, similar to “ANNIHILATE”, is very much an extension of OMNI (The flip side of that album’s title track even that THE DEFECT guested on) with Jonny adopting that more aggressive tone vocally, Hardcore Keem inserting some super shreds and erecting an impenetrable fortress of sound, and Moon accentuating it all with an effervescent vocal cadence. After the dust is settled, “DEFIANCE” gets back to brass tacks with a gorgeous number that’s filled with harmony, heaviness, and another memorable Moon vocal melody that’ll get stuck in ye olde noggin for a long time following.
Can you have a “classic” sounding track on your debut? Maybe not but definitely something representative of your sound and regarding THE DEFECT, “BROKEN MINDS” is that kind of track for sure with this one the perfect hybrid of Electronica and Metal (Think the Spawn soundtrack from back in the day). And wouldja believe this all ends with an acoustic ditty? Well, it does! And it’s beautiful! “A Way Out” is that key track and an essential comedown following the sonic journey that Jonny and Moon just took us on as the vocal ebb and flow combined with the atmosphere conjured succinctly sums up this first chapter in the book of THE DEFECT.
DEATH X DESTINY drops on February 7th through FiXT with pre-order and pre-save options up now and found conveniently together when you click here. For more from THE DEFECT, including where you can see them supporting THE BROWNING on their upcoming headline run which hits Worcester’s Palladium Upstairs on January 15th (Get yer tix for that one and the rest of the shows here), follow them across the information superhighway by clicking here, here, or here.