Defeater – Abandoned

The commitment to carrying a narrative through multiple albums is admirable. Not many bands can successfully pull such an overarching theme off. For a time Maylene & the Sons of Disaster penned dark Southern Gothic tales of death and redemption, but by their fourth album they’d lost energy and have seemed to fade away in recent years. Comic book fans will remember Coheed & Cambria’s string of concepts, which were interesting as musical companions to the written stories. But in practice, releasing multiple albums that all serve as part of a larger story line has proven difficult. There are very few examples of success. Despite these overwhelming odds, Defeater has released their fifth collection that relates to a working class New Jersey family, this time focusing on the perspective of a Catholic priest. 

On Abandoned, Defeater expand their hardcore sound to allow for more experimentation. It is a bold move since they received flack for including four acoustic tracks on Empty Days, Sleepless Nights, even though they captured the fragile emotions of the protagonist perfectly. Add to that the expectations of purists who already lament their move from Bridge 9 to Epitaph and the band could have been excused for releasing a straight forward hardcore album. Instead they boldly move forward, exploring new musical terrain. The album leads with “Contrition,” an atmospheric track that has sparse vocals over beautiful melodies, reminiscent of Envy. It introduces the story in the form of a broken prayer from the lapsed Catholic priest, who struggles with faith and life throughout the album. 

Musically, the band are as aggressive as ever, but the balance the heavy with the moments of musical beauty. At times, such as during “Atonement,” they fit comfortably alongside their peers in La Dispute, with chaotic sounds and raspy vocals contrasting with calming melodies. The complexities of spoken word pieces and restrained guitars make this an album best appreciated through headphones. The layers of a song like “Vices & Regret” are more accessible in isolation. When the band lets loose, they can rage alongside the best modern hardcore bands. Fast beats and racing tempos (December 1943) bring to mind Comeback Kid, while the darker metal vocal moments (Spared in Hell) are reminiscent of Cancer Bats. The sing along chorus of “Borrowed & Blue” nods to the aforementioned Maylene & the Sons of Disaster. The music explores the limitations of the hardcore and post hardcore scenes, bouncing around from song to song and backing the story with consistently shifting soundscapes. They can be loud and they can do melody with equal skill, keeping the songs from blending into one another.

The deluxe edition includes two additional tracks, which stand out because of their resolutely non-hardcore sounds. On “Still & True” the band explore power pop. This is a great track with a strong 90s alt rock vibe that sounds much more like vocalist Derek Archambault’s other project Alcoa. The song has a healthy dose of melody and peppy whoa oh sing along harmonies. It is a glaring stand out from the rest of the albums harder edge. The album closes with the quiet, acoustic “Let Me Down,” which is the perfect finish to the story of the priest. The sweet vocals and spare guitar shine a light on the silent despair of the main character, as he reflects back on his story, before crooning you let me down with a quiver that sounds on the verge of tears. It reads like a suicide note, talking about covering up alcoholism and suffering from depression. It doesn’t make sense that they chose not to release these songs on one version because they are the perfect way to complete the concept album. Make sure that if you have the option, choose the deluxe version. These are not mere bonus tracks, but an important addition to the entire story.

While many hardcore bands focus on single song laments on love or self empowerment shout alongs, Defeater are driven by their story line. While the story of the family has always been interesting, the examination of the crippling self doubt and loss of faith that fuel the story of the priest may be the most emotional. The pleas go unanswered as he searches for meaning in a dark world. The fact that they make this very specific plot seem so relatable is testament to the skill of the lyricist. When Archambault cries out I was a good man once, but years of unanswered prayers have left me faithless. I was a good man once, Now hopeless and abandoned on “Unanswered,” you can imagine screaming the words toward an empty sky yourself. There are moments when life weighs heavy and the words of the priest ring true. Illness in the family or death of a loved one are reality and in the depth of those darkest days, many of us feel abandoned. 

While Ruiner has always been the most accurate musical comparison point for Defeater’s style of hardcore, they take full advantage of the move to a new label on Abandoned. While staying true to their roots, they have managed to expand their sound on their most fully realized concept to date. Much like the novels of literary masters, each chapter of this story shows maturation and growth. The existential conversations of the priest outline the downfall of a man, once proud and full of faith, now broken and bitter. Like the rest of the story, this a dark tale with intricate details that will begin to emerge after repeated listens.