Defocus - 'there is a place for me on earth' - Album Review

Rising German modern metalcore bands signed to Arising Empire stopped being novel or surprising a while ago, but somehow they keep coming stronger than ever like a tidal wave, and naturally I am all up for it. This time we have the Stuttgart-based quartet DEFOCUS unleashing their signature brand of modern metalcore in the outstanding sophomore record there is a place for me on earth (yes, all in lower case, go figure). And in case you did not get this by the slightly overexcited introduction, this is an album well worth the wait and teasing over the last year, that demands all the attention and deserves all the praise.

DEFOCUS entered the contemporary European metal scene in mid-2021 with a solid debut In the Eye of Death We Are All The Same that certainly made a lasting impression with bangers like 'Desease' but if we have to be picky, it also left some quastions unanswered. Talent, determination and purpose were never in doubt, but there was more to be desired in terms of overall direction and album cohesion. Luckily, their second not just fixes all tiny shortcomings but operates on a whole new level and sees the band confidently bend genre borders, blend traditions and navigate through uncharted but thrilling territories.

It has been a while since I listened to an album as wild, unpredictable, and invigorating as there is a place for me on earth. The last one must have been the 2022 gem Tangerine Tragic by fellow German and Arising Empire troopers The Oklahoma Kid, and although there are few comparisons in style, there are certain similarities in approach and overall experience. Where The Oklahoma Kid lean towards a hybrid between post-hardcore and nu-metal, and DEFOCUS operate on more alternative modern metalcore frequencies, both bands share remarkable levels of originality and creativity, on full display on this record.

There is just no pinning the quartet down, and although there is a place for me on earth does start like a more conventional metalcore release, albeit noticeably industrialised, it quickly dives into the vast unknown. Opening tracks like 'let the bond be my grave', 'biased' and 'watch me bleed' give the record a powerful and groovy edge, while 'crooked mind', 'consumed by you' and 'flatlines' are absolute pit-starters. Then there is the weirdly perfect rager 'hybrid anthem', the dystopian interlude '...to not feel anything' and the ambient concluding title track, but above all the rest stands the monumental 'don' let it hurt me' which displays everything that make DEFOCUS so important in the modern metal landscape.

So far this year we have had quite a few outstanding EPs and standalone singles by many of the scene's contemporary leaders but as far as full album releases go, there is a place for me on earth easily tops the chart for Q1. Without even trying that hard, DEFOCUS have given us a memorable modern classic and a sign of their bright future. Their sophomore effort is fresh, energetic, and unpredictable which is pretty much all you need in a genre that is currently plagued with repetative and forced attempts at authenticity.

Defocus - 'there is' a place for me on earth

Country: Germany

Released: 1 March 2024

Label: Arising Empire

Tracklisting:

1. 'let the bond be my grave'

2. 'biased'

3. 'watch me bleed'

4. 'consumed by you'

5. 'crooked mind'

6. 'don't let it hurt me'

7. 'hybrid anthem' (ft. One.RF)

8. '...to not feel anything'

9. 'flatlines'

10. 'there is a place for me on earth'