what initially bothered me about this disc was that it got a bit too bro for me, like they were reacting to the criticism that they weren't neanderthal enough. i guess defeater is going to have a fan base that considers what they do to be about as poppy as they can handle, and is going to wonder what the fuck i'm talking about. i'm on the other extreme - this is about as heavy and brocore as i can handle (i know it's not particularly so, but bro music is just not my thing. i like my loud rock of the punk variety.) without tuning out, and it seemed to be just about tipping the tables on me....
a few listens in, i began to understand it as conceptual. i mean, if you're going to write a concept record from a first person perspective about a morally bankrupt asshole, isn't it natural to lean into brocore? i then took that idea back to empty days and realized it fit - it's a dramatic record, with a dramatic storyline.
so, yeah, perhaps it's missing some of the drama. maybe it's a bit stripped down. maybe it's a bit primitive. maybe it had to be. and maybe the narrative will take us into a different flavour next time around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7QT8uZKunM
