#1 Defender – mj (the girl next door)
     
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Ok, this is another CD from up and coming Emo/Hardcore Ashford outfit, #1 Defender and this time they have released a 3 track single which clocks in at just under 17 minutes. Again they have released a CD which is full of melodic emotion yet also verges on hardcore at times with storming guitar riffs and fiery bass lines that will really get the juices flowing.

This five piece really know how to kick out a good tune – here are three fine ones that are full of the most extreme emotion, with heartfelt lyrics, and some extremely melodic guitar riffs – but also with some striking, hardcore guitar riffs as well just to add a bit of spice to the mixture and make it that extra bit more exciting. There is a certain degree of power yet there is also an emotional pull to it and the way that they have mixed the two styles here is brilliant.

My favourite of the three tracks on display here is ‘welcome to springwood (a nice place to live)’ as this is a really cool tune that is a perfect example of the way which they blend Emo and Hardcore. There are some extremely striking guitar riffs and some absolutely amazing bass lines on display in this tune – there are some great driving guitar riffs that are extremely hardcore and they sound really cool alongside the drums and soft, melodic vocals. Along with the emotional vocals, there are also some fairly hardcore ones in this tune and at times the vocalist is even shouting and it just works really well the way that they go from Emo to hardcore at the flick of switch and don’t even seem to have to think about it. They make some awesome tunes and this is definitely my favourite of the three on display with this release. Like I have already said – the way that the band seems to be able to go straight from screaming to heartfelt, meaningful lyrics is absolutely incredible and shows great ability on the bands front as they are able to pull off two completely different genres equally brilliantly. Around the four and a half minute mark on this track, there is an absolutely amazing guitar solo which shows off their great ability at its best as when this is played you can really feel yourself getting in to it and your head begins to nod and your feet begin to tap. An awesome tune showing off some fine writing skills and strong ability to play the instruments!

If you are a fan of Emotional Hardcore then give this band a checking as they play the genre, and play it very well indeed! In fact – I think that they are the best band of the genre that I have ever heard as they have so much talent and ability that it is unbelievable – it is strange to think that this band are still only an underground outfit that are based in Ashford, playing gigs in and around Kent as their ability shows that they should be doing far more than this and I am sure that they will be extremely big before long as they have so much to offer and there is so much that you can get out of their music.