Defeat
Seek Help
11 Track Debut Album
Static Distortion Records
To be released 22nd June 2013
Soon to be released - Defeat - Seek Help!
Defeat – Hertfordshire
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Defeatmusic
Genre: Electro
Industrial
In the bands
own words:
A very moving
and in-depth biography of Defeat:
“The early 90s: Seek Help: Early days and
near-disaster.
Gary Walker and
Anthony Matthews had been writing songs together since meeting at school. Gary,
who is completely self-taught, played keyboards and Anthony would add lyrics
and vocals to these nascent efforts at song writing. Originally influenced by
early-80's acts such as Howard Jones and Depeche Mode, the intrepid duo
discovered the more diverse and industrial/EBM influences of NIN, Front 242,
Nitzer Ebb and Front Line assembly.
Various names
were considered but 'Seek Help' stuck. This came from a comment made about one
of their tracks (Revenge) by a college friend of Anthony's. This joke stuck,
and was added to the end of the track in the form of a whispered vocal on their
first demo, and has also stuck ever since.
As Seek Help,
the duo gigged several times between 1992 and 1995, until a particularly bad
gig nearly ended it all. It seemed as if Seek Help was dying. Life was starting
to take over and something had to change.
Late 90's: Defeat is born: A rebirth of sorts.
In the late
90s, the band had time to push things a bit more and decided to have another
go. This is when Defeat was created from the ashes of Seek Help. Same duo, same
tunes, just reworked. This culminated in a gig in November 2000. A great gig, a
great sound but the momentum wasn't maintained, but as the pair's business and
family commitments were far apart, and despite working together sporadically,
Defeat would not re-surface for another 10 years.
2011-2012: Life's too short to fuck around.
Midway through
2011, the pair started to move full steam ahead. Gary's prolific tune writing,
remixing and editing and the advent of new technology aided the sharing of
ideas.
This flurry of
new activity was caused in large part by Gary losing his mother to cancer - for
him it bought the meaning of "life is too short" sharply into focus
and gave him a determination to have another go at music. The first fruits of
this was a version of Outburst, which was submitted to a Side-line.com
compilation competition. The track didn't win the contest, but it opened a door
for the band that was to change things...
Following the
online networking undertaken as part of the contest, the track was found by Steve Fearon, who had recently founded Static Distortion Records. He indicated
an interest, and the pair met Fearon at the (in) famous Slimelight Club in
London. Impressed with duo's passion and energy, he asked the pair to join SDR.
Shortly after
this initial meeting, Defeat signed to SDR in the spring of 2012.
The duo then
decamped to the studio, where with the help of old friend and electro-genius
Nik Hodges, they started fleshing out some of Gary's demos. The tracks
Parasite, Outburst, How Pathetic and Bored were put together using Nik's
incredible arsenal of analogue synthesizers.
These 4-tracks
were released on the Outbursts! E.P on 13th July to some very favourable reviews
from RingMaster and Brutal Resonance
Following the
release, the guys put together their own video for the E.P's opener - Parasite.
This video uses green screen effects and overlaid images and proves the band's
talents are visual as well as aural.
During this
time the band also played their first gigs for 12 long years - the first was
back at their old stomping ground The Square, and was recorded for prosperity.
It was as if they'd never been away.
Defeat
In Vestri Genua
Descendamus
Provoking and
sinister it offers an emotional gaze over the fence and inspects all the dark
shadows within. It holds a strong malevolent presence which only shows itself
superbly on the track and just enough to strike up an engrossing interest with
tons of mesmerising rhythms that strike out in abundance.
Fear
Bubbling with a
deep dark rhythm that oozes with passion and an eerie beat that gives off a
malevolent vibe. It creeps slowly but
surely into a rich and provoking stance deliberate and distinctive, building
superbly into one hypnotic and brewing encounter.
Ripcord
Strong and captivating with a whispered vocal that inspires deep
thoughts and feeds off its own imagery of compelling sounds.
Defeat
Foreboding
rhythms and striking beats it holds a certain ambiance that shows its darker
side. Vocally compelling it touches a raw nerve of suggestiveness that in turn
holds a powerful energy.
Revenge
Hypnotic beats
shrouded in a good ambient keyboard sound. It is flavoured with dark intent and
gives out an enthusiastic must listen feel with great melodic content. Great
played loud!
Tear me apart
Gives way to a
sparse ambient keyboard, slower and sinister connotations that pulsate and
ravish the aural. It moves up a notch further on in the track and sizzles
before returning to its slower malevolence but is none the less compelling with
its gnarly lyrical content.
Wish you were
dead
Dark ambiance and
sinister feel with a great bass hook that slays with a tumultuous thickening rhythm
that showcases Defeat’s amazing
talent off to a T. It ensures a want to listen further as it translates into a
brooding satisfaction.
Pedestal
A flurry of
choppy synth comes to the fore here whilst incorporating some fantastic melodic
sounds that weave into a powerful resonating stance of bubbling and yet sultry
hypnotic moods. Superb track!
Coffin
More sultry
rhythms that build into a maelstrom of delightful and inspirational tones.
Vocally intriguing with a cold ambient feel. It houses a hypnotic trance like
feel that is more than just compelling but a must hear. The shrill synth is
rich in a toxic caressing – loving this!
Cry at your
Funeral
A bubbling and
brooding frenzy of synth that is striking with a solid beat attached to it. For
lovers of Electro Industrial they won’t need much coaxing to like this with its
feisty torrents of pulsating rhythms and melodic tendencies.
Scars
Houses so much
brooding and quality hypnotic wash that bristles under the colossal weight of thrilling
highlights such as the synth that compels with a harsh yet insatiable appetite.
To Sum up:
This album draws
on the essences of electro industrial with an amazing array of synth and low
whispered vocal that gives balance as well as depth to an intriguing and
powerful album. It is finely tuned to give out rich textures of rhythms and
compelling beats that scoop you into a world of unrestrained and powerful beauty.
Each track is carved out to highlight a stunning array of mystical wonder. I
have already listened to this album about 4 times now and each time there is always
something new to discover as it ignites a certain passion inside me. Every time I see the name Steve Fearon who founded Static Distortion attached to anything,
I know I am in for a good listen and this album is no exception to the rule. My only regret is that I have not been able
to witness the band visually as yet anyway, and I am hoping in time that this
goal will be achieved.
10/10
Track List:
Fear
Ripcord
Defeat
Revenge
Tear me apart
Wish you Dead
Pedestal
Coffin
Cry at your Funeral
Scars
Members:
Anthony Matthews - Voice
Gary Walker - Synthetics
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