Reviews: #1 Defender - The Diary Truthful

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Railroad Chronicle

Emotionally driven tracks with a real sense of heaviness. Great production and packaging. My fave track on this CD is number 3, When Hal Jordan saved the sun. You can really feel the emotion on this song, a good soundtarck for chilling out. Something special that could touch you.

The Dance Of Days (http://www.thedanceofdays.org)

It seems that these british fellows took their name from the New End Original song with the same name. They even play a similar style of music, even though #1 Defender seem a bit harder rockin' and aren't afraid to throw in screamo and mosh elements to the mix. Most of the times it's well sung indie-rock with an hardcore edge. Sure you've heard it all before, but these 5 songs have enough quality and uniqueness not to be compared to the flood of mediocre emobands of these days.

Raw Nerve (http://www.rawnervepromotions.co.uk)

I really like the leather bound and pretty girl featuring look of the artwork on this EP for #1 Defender who arrive to us on the Engineer Records label.

It's no shock after the initial spoken word introduction to hear this drop into an emo record. Now, for me, emo is becoming a bit of a tired genre these days, especially with the many bands doing it and actually lacking any realy heart, passion or actual emotion! This however comes across as genuine, as heart wrenching, and it has some very nice little melodies and vocal harmonies. On top of all this, there are a few fresh ideas thrown in. 'The Death of Jenny Calendar' has really sweet chords and off kilter progression, and a very harrowing harsher scream on occasions, and the 12 minute piece 'Remember how to fly' has a good heavier bit and calm ending.

I don't claim to be a great sage where the emo scene is concerned but certainly for fans of older, more melodic bands such as Texas is the Reason, Chamberlain and Get Up Kids, this would be good listening.

Embrace (http://www.icestormcity.com/ircsax/embrace)

UK has maded out another "emo" act in response to the success of Rydell and Bob Tilton. #1 Defender represent the unperishable late 90's post-hardcore style, coupled with the sonic approach of modern indie-rock. The band got the vocalist that has honey-dipped voice that graces "When Hal Jordan Saved The Sun" with other band members that has helped to make a classic song that fully justifies the mysterious surrounding the band. The opener track sets the scene first with discordant riffs and mournful vocals, while the remaining such as "The Darkside Of Beautiful" and "Remember How To Fly" just follow suit with sometimes weaves spiraling melodies.

thedanceofdays (http://www.thedanceofdays.org)

Scene It All (http://www.sceneitall.net)

#1 Defender is a 5 piece emo/hardcore outfit from the South-East of England which is pretty much typical. The band has a broad fan base and they are looking to expand that with future plans of touring throughout Europe. The band takes journeys of high to low and mellow to hard, and they do it all with a slab of finesse. It's hard to compare them to other bands. I'm sure there are several that sound like, or try to sound like this band as is usually the case.

The members of the band all play in a way to compliment the music and the tone it is trying to produce. The guitars are very well used and really stand out on certain tracks. The singer has a voice slightly different than the typical emocore band. It could be the accent and it could be that they are from England. The screaming is more frantic and emotionally produced than the regular Story Of The Year type screaming. It has a harshness that stands out yet compliments the music in its wrath. The music is a lot mellower than other bands sharing the same genre. They don't seem to hold the same influences as other bands and it reflects in the sound.

"The Death of Jenny Calendar" is a perfect example of the bands diversity. They start with really catchy guitar riffs that lead into and throughout the mellow part of the song as it crawls up to an inlay of screaming and then winds back down again. Screams are occasionally thrown in the mellow segments, but it doesn't sound like shit like when a lot of other bands try to incorporate that little aspect. "The Diary Truthful" is an EP that has everything you could want out of a good EP. It's not too long and drawn out as some of them tend to be. It's not too short so you don't feel like you have a promo instead of a legitimate release. There is an 11 minute song that wraps up the album, but it isn't a 3 minute song followed by 8 minutes of silence leading up to a secret track. It's actually an 11 minute song and it is a good job of incorporating all of their styles and sound efforts into one track. It has variation to keep it interesting and it also closes up the album nicely.

Look into this band if you are looking for some new emocore that isn't generic and boring. The band has a large following in their country and they are just starting to get the attention form those of us who are stateside. This EP is 31 minutes long and it can't hurt to give it a listen. 30 minutes never hurt anybody and in this case you will probably gain.

Apathy Zine

emo n 1. Alternative music style incorporating elements of hardcore juxtaposed with melodic guitar lines and angst-ridden singing / shouting vocal lines. Lyrical subject matter covers a wide range of topics and emotions, from unrequited love to betrayal and broken relationships; from depression to bitterness to numbness. Crying optional.
adj 2. In an emo style.
See also: #1 Defender

Coming from the South East of England, #1 Defender are a relatively new band to the scene but one already starting to make ripples in the pond. Currently put out on Engineer, the band have releases on Zebra 3 and Formant Records as well as a number of appearances on various compilations on the back of a full live schedule with bands such as The Not Katies and November Coming Fire.

Whilst pigeon-holing bands is always an undesirable road to head down, with The Diary Truthful EP it's almost impossible not to. From the moment you pick up the CD it screams "emo", with packaging emulating a leather-bound diary, complete with Polaroid style pictures of an unnamed brunette, track listings as 'diary entries' and "Looking to the empty chair on my right" printed dwn the hinge (incidentally, not a part of the lyrics).

The songs themselves do nothing to refute first impressions, with Hundred Reasons and Thursday referenced throughout; opener 'I, Ashley B' could easily have been taken from the 'Ideas Above Our Station' sessions. With lyrics such as: "A rose can be deadly if you eat it, But a kiss can be worse if you mean it" and "My heart used to feel, now it just pumps blood", to claim this release breaks new ground would be to have lived in a sound-proof cave for the last five years.

Looking past the influences, however, finds a band with a solid grasp of what they're doing and where they're heading. Whilst a predictable at times, when they get it right the tracks flow effortlessly, fusing the sparse, sometimes jagged elements of emo-core with the upbeat catchiness of post-hardcore, creating songs which claw their way into your brain and stage a sit-in.

Highlights include 'The Death Of Jenny Calender', which ebbs and flows beautifully without losing direction and greatly helped along by the lack of cliched lyrics; and closer 'Remember How To Fly' - a 9 minute epic which nails the band's emo colours firmly to the wall but which is executed with the style and feeling missing from 95% of the bands currently saturating the genre.

Not a CD to appeal to everybody's tastes, even die-hard emo fans will be disappointed by the lack of consistency of quality on an EP which, when good ranks amongst any of its contemporaries but which has wont to descend into painful mediocrity at times.

Definitely recommended for those who like their music emo and their singers hurting, there's just that niggling feeling that's it's missing the vital ingredient (and has also come a few years too late) to make a major impact on the genre.

Suspect Device #44

A 5 track CDEP from these guys, who are new to me, but that goes for 95% of releases I get these days I think. They play the modern emo/metal sound that we are completely saturated with these days Though they appear to be better than most I have heard. Great layout and good lyrics lift this above the pack. Strong songs, which don't quite sound so derived as some, and a top production, help also, But when is all said and done it could still have been any number of identi-kit, looky likey, soundy likey bands.

Skratch Magazine

A promising new band here, seemingly clinging onto the coattails of the major label-dropped Hundred Reasons and Hell is For Heroes. Opener "I, Ashley B" is the track most primed for the nu-rock masses with its huge powerful chorus but as the vicious "Death of Jenny Calandar" shows it's not the only string to their bow. Although the rest of the EP alternates from Grade-like scream/singing and softer emo-core tangents, there is a nice heartfelt vibe running throughout that aligns them with bands like Sensefield, distancing themselves from the younger emo kids in favour of the more discerning post-hardcore fan. Very promising.

Ox Fanzine

I only recently became aware of the prolificness of Engineer records and must say that their recent output really convinces me of their quality. On this new release these south Englishmen have given us a further British volume with #1 DEFENDER and their five spontaneous songs. The whole record gets along by rough production and many unforeseeable idioms giving it a certain charm. Here everything was not conscientiously sanded off, but one hears still edges and corners. One feels reminded of the early albums of SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, whereby the songs are similarly epic and structured. The record is clearly made with a definate love for the genre and 'the Diary Truthful" pleases me unusually well.

Plastic Noise (http://plastic-noise.com)

# 1 Defender have been best described to me as being 'Emo/Hardcore'. This five piece from the South-East of England have definitely caught my ear. Throughout the cd I was reminded of such bands as Tacking Back Sunday, Cursive and Saves the Day.

'the epic 'Remember How To Fly' covers melancholy, happiness, anger, depression and numbness all in one song."

Upon placing this cd into my stereo I really wasn't sure what to expect. The first track "I, Ashley B" caught my ear right off and kept me tuned in for more. This cd ranges from clean to distorted guitars and I loved it. The lyrics were also really interesting to read. The layout of the booklet is similar to a diary hence the name 'the Diary Truthful EP". From the short but sweet song "I, Ashley B" to the 9 minute song "Remember How To Fly" this cd is something to check out. I would have to call them the English version of Taking Back Sunday no doubt.

If you are fans of Glassjaw, Saves the Day, At The Drive-In, or Cursive you should definitely check out this band. Even if you aren't into those bands this band is still worth taking a few minutes to listen to. There's a different element in each song which makes this band really unique to me. Not one of those bands that just sounds "like everyone else".

Metal Pigeon (http://www.metalpigeon.com)

I was sceptical about this one. Naming yourself after a New End Original song is a definate way to gain yourself attention from the emo-rock kids, but living up to those standards, well, thats another thing entirely.

Thankfully, despite a few minor hiccups, # 1 Defender manage to pull off a fairly good stab at the whole emocore genre.

Reminiscent to 90's bands like Far (like we couldn't see that one coming!), Texas is the Reason and Samiam, #1D play hard-rocking, driving slabs of emotional hardcore, but throw in the odd curve-ball to keep the listener on his or her respective toes. Expect to hear falsetto vocals, passionate man on the edge of a breakdown screams, arpegiated noodles a go-go and some crunchy, soaring choruses that would make Jonah Matranga go weak at the knees.

Unashamedly geeks, referencing both Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters and comic book characters (respect!) #1D bash their way through the 5 songs in question with the passion and energy of 5year old children (albeit ones prone to quieter moments). However, like 5year olds they have the tendency to be a little on the clumsy side. At times the guitars sound a little out of tune and the vocals slipout of key, but thankfully it adds (on the most part) to the over-riding cuteness of the # 1 Defender.

If # 1 Defender lived in a world of Superheroes, they'd be a valiant, dorky (yet honourable) side-kick to a kick-ass a-list hero. Given time they'd eventually get their own mini-series and thus, blossom into their own lead title (complete with a variant cover drawn by Andy Kubert).

Lets hope that with another year or 2, # 1 Defender can accomplish the things that they hint at with this EP. A damn good effort.

Rating: 6.5

scannerzine.com (Steve)

Shit, 5 tracks in excess of 31 minutes didn?t appeal to me at all. But this 5-piece from the South-East of England pulled it off with an impressive array of dynamics, genuine song composition, studio invention (samples and backwards segments) and an ample supply of confidence.

Take a big portion of TEXAS IS THE REASON structures, SAMIAM intensity and KIDS NEAR WATER power and you?ll be close to the sounds here. It?s a bit too delicate at times, but that?s few and far between because the guitars soon crash in with a crushing, overwhelming density.

The vocalist can actually sing also, instead of the plethora of vocalists who attempt this kind of well-pitched and passionate yet forceful and slightly embittered style and fail dismally.

Highlights have to be the opening pulsating bite of ?I, Ashley B? and the epic closer ?Remember How To Fly? which twists, turns, swells and literally implodes in a vortex of its own making. Good stuff and probably one of the Top 3 releases ever from this fine label.

punkforfun.it (Valerio)

I start with the layout that is really good, is nice and in line with the title. The CD in a lot of aspects tryes to look like a book, in this case a diary . maybe these guys would to have the CD in digypack. I hope you reconized in name of the band the title of a New End Original song, maybe the would like to sound like them but it is understandeble if it didn't really sound like NEO...it is not easy!

I would define #1 Defender. as 'the English Taking Back Sunday", in particular the voice remind me a lot to that band and more in "not slow parts", in a couple of cases they can be more violent and in the second track they scream like Glasseater or Grade. In the slow parts #1 Defender. try to follow the example of Texas Is The Reason (if you quote NEO is impossible to not refer to them too!)

In my opinion #1 Defender. are better in the "not slow" tracks as in The Death Of Jenny Calendar, in fact songs as Remember How To Fly or When Hal Jordan. are maybe too long and melanchony.

pastandpresent2.tripod.com (Hans)

Like Son of the Morning #1 Defender has sort of a post-hardcore thing going, but they"re heading in more of a emo kind of direction. This ain't wussy like a lot of the American sounding emo though. It's definitely metallic and it's definitely hardcore, but it has got lots of emo-trademarks as well, especially in the vocal department. Anyway, these guys are pretty good at this thing.