2nd September 2023

Review: “Defiance” by Electron

“We have worked tirelessly to create an album that is a true reflection of who we are, both as a band and as individuals. Our debut album, “Defiance,” is an expression of our commitment to breaking away from our past and forging a new future – a future full of creativity and passion. We hope that our music will give you the strength to face life’s struggles, to prove to yourself that you can achieve great things, and to show that you are never alone. This is only the beginning of our journey, and we are excited to see where it takes us” ~ Electron

Surpassing 217.5k of Spotify streams alone for five pre-release singles from “Defiance” it’s safe to say there is plenty of hype around Alternative Metal trio Jason Payne (vocals and guitars), Joanna Hyde (bass) and Nuno Bessa (drums), the artists collectively known as Electron at the moment. Curiously enough for anyone that doesn’t know their backstory, they started out as another band circa 2018, writing, recording and playing shows in the usual way. However the train slowly derailed, the band feeling they had become side-lined by the industry and insiders taking advantage. So refusing to accept their fate, they started afresh with the knowledge they’d gained, rebranding and putting together new material as they hadn’t lost sight of the dream…

…the question really is what is that dream? As an album “Defiance” is a multifaceted affair with a number of distinctively different styles brought together into one single entity. So if you’ve heard one single from the album and you think you know Electron then you’re going to be in for a surprise when you check out the album as a whole. Displaying roots in the early 2000’s Nu-Metal scene opening cut “Burn It Down” brings electronics into a play with a cut that screams in rage against the world, having an emotive quality and decent amount of chugging riffs. Payne’s vocals are a curiosity, hard to place because there are some clear moments of American style accenting as well as some moments that sound like he’s got roots in Eastern Europe. Fortunately that isn’t a distraction and if anything adds a certain amount of charm to the record as whole, especially on cuts like “Break Me!” which has a clear Linkin Park influence in the chorus section and an Alter Bridge inspired solo moment. If you’ve seen the Science Fiction film “Oblivion” staring Tom Cruse and Morgan Freeman then you’ll know how you can spot all the references in it and this debut album from Electron runs along similar lines for older Metal Heads. What works about the album as with the film is that the songs have enough of a life of their own to stand apart, so it’s less of a jigsaw puzzle and not a fundamental flaw.

Lyrically some of the introspection is a little stale as it’s been done before, particularly on cuts like “Throw Me Away” and “Survivor” but fortunately in the case of that pair, they are sonically interesting enough to distract from that. “Forsaken” on the other hand makes better use of the introspection, having a real grit and integrity about it that draws you in, helped by the darker atmospherics and melancholically haunting edge. The force of a “Black” album era Metallica influence is felt “March Of Death“, the layered guitar work and extended solo lifting it to new heights while adding the spice of variety to the record with guitar attack of “M.A.D.” (Mutually Assured Destruction) and “Inhuman” both continuing that in a similar vein. There are 80’s Traditional Metal vibes to the latter (think denim jackets, back patches and biker gear and you get the picture) which actually make the band sound like a completely different prospect when compared to the earlier offerings. In between those cuts you have “Dark Vibes” which is made by the mid track breakdown section which is a huge moment, as is the spellbinding solo that is ushered in during the final moments.

The leads and solo from Arthemis, and former Power Quest guitarist Andy Martongelli give “Dying light” a whole other dimension, giving it a real wow factor before the dirge riff laden affair of “Psycho” that as a decent amount of stomp to it, throwing back to the stylings of the earlier cuts but with more presence and power. “Sick And Wrong” hints at a power ballad but instead paints in texture with moments of quiet melody rising up to louder heavier parts before falling back down, the delicate transitions ensuring that everything is interwoven perfectly. Another scorcher of a solo and some earworm riffs carry it, ensuring it appeals to fans who like both sides of the bands coin. As a debut album “Defiance” is a solid start from Electron and if they take a little time and refine the offerings there is no doubt that their future could burn our retinas [7/10]

Track Listing