Defeater have set themselves apart in the hardcore scene by using their music as a vehicle for strong concepts and stories throughout their career, and Abandoned — their latest entry into the tragic saga of the unnamed family — finds the New England quintet weaving a bleak, brooding tale around even more sinister instrumentals. Listeners see through the eyes of the priest introduced on their debut album Travels via Derek Archambault's vivid lyricism, and the conviction in his vocal delivery brings this character to life in each song.
Defeater conjure a sense of despondency and subtle, gloomy moments of melody on "Remorse" and "Pillar Of Salt," and imbue even the brisker, more aggressive cuts, such as "December 1943" and "Spared In Hell," with the same emotional heft. Abandoned is consistent in tone but varied in pacing, with measured, post-rock influenced breaks in "Borrowed & Blue" and "Atonement." It's a diverse mixture of sounds delivered in a cohesive and well-arranged package.
