Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Strife - In This Defiance (1997)
To be honest, I wasn't sure about giving this Strife album In This Defiance a listen and a review because their debut One Truth wasn't all that great and I even thought it was too hardcore to be metal, hence that judgement submission. But when I put this album on play, boy was I blown away! This is a higher, more metallic step from their debut, and it has just what I'm looking for from this band.
Yep, everything is at the right tone for Strife. This is a full tight metallic hardcore sound with brisk tempos. Rick Rodney has his hardcore bellowing skills that are often hard to understand, but at the same time, so compelling.
Beginning the album is a 3-minute "Intro" of horror movie sound effects that almost makes the album a soundtrack for such a film. Then after that, the wait is over, with "Waiting" blasting off with its metal/hardcore sound that bands such as All That Remains, 36 Crazyfists, Eighteen Visions, and Cave In can't do without. The hardcore force continues in "Force of Change", which actually has a bit of a Winds of Plague vibe in the riffing, though obviously not deathly or symphonic.
"Stand as One (Redemption)" has vague yet powerful lyrics in emotional focus ("Search inside and you will find the answers lie within the reach of those who try"). Same with "Grey", not identifiable but quite adamant ("The future is dead for many of those who have fallen refusing to let it go"). The amazing highlight "Will to Die" has a bit of a Black Sabbath kind of soundscape, with a few prominent guests assisting in the action; ex-Sepultura drummer Igor Cavalera, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, and most notably, Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. Another compelling song here is "Blistered". Then "Forgotten One" adds a bit of mid-80s Voivod speed into their sound.
"Wish I Knew" has reminded me that I need a break from the modern poppy metalcore of Issues and We Came as Romans, so I can dive into more hardcore stuff like this. "To an End" is one of the most remarkable hardcore bursts ever. "Overthrow" would once again help the hardcore side of my metalcore taste overthrow the modern side of bands like Veil of Maya. The "Outro" is just 16 minutes of horror movie sounds just like the intro. I think they only added their so the album wouldn't be so short like just a half-hour.
Those pointless interludes don't affect the rest of this album perfection that makes In This Defiance an astonishing stunner. This is standard E-tuned thrashy metal/hardcore at its best. I'm glad to find the greatness of Strife!
Favorites: "Waiting", "Force of Change", "Stand as One (Redemption)", "Will to Die", "Wish I Knew", "To an End"