Defeater – Empty Days & Sleepless Nights

Empty Days

Defeater's new record, Empty Days & Sleepless Nights is, perhaps the most highly anticipated hardcore record of Spring 2011.  This release, on Bridge9 records is a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Lost Ground EP and something of a partner record to Defeater's debut full-length, Travels.

At first listen, it is obvious that the band has progressed musically.  This record is more overtly somber, lacking many of the Verse-like qualities that their previous efforts have displayed.  There are more melodies in the guitar and although Defeater has never been a very typical band, they have further rejected the normally accepted styles of hardcore on this record.

More after the jump.

This album is truly impressive, though I would expect nothing less from Defeater at this point.  Defeater have forged a career on making musically powerful, and lyrically unsettling records which play out more like novellas than albums.   Empty Days & Sleepless Nights is no less spectacular or sobering than the records that preceded it and makes for an incredible sophomore attempt.

Lyrically, it is exactly as expected of Defeater: a beautifully written narrative, involving violence, alcohol, drugs and family conflict.  Empty Days & Sleepless Nights tells the story of the main character of Travels' older brother as he deals with the mess that has become of his family, father slain by his brother, mother strung out on heroin and the mountain of debt his father leaves behind.  He meets the love of his life and marries and as the story progresses and concludes, it's both dramatic and cathartic.  It would be a shame to gloss over the lyrical content, but any further description would only understate the fact: the liner notes are as vital to the first listening of this record as speakers and ears.

The elements that set Defeater apart, and likewise, the things that fans enjoy are ever-present, but the storytelling has evolved with the music and the result is spectacular.  Empty Days is a near perfect display of originality in hardcore: marvelously planned and beautifully executed.