New Music Critique: Fused By Defiance

Anyone with an ear for ‘90s-era hard rock a la Rage, Bizket, Korn will dig the bristling, beefy riffs and manic mic outbursts of Fused By Defiance. Singer Ryan’s tongue- lashing vocals have plenty of backup here as all band members are engaged in lock-step at high volume to bring weapons- grade sonics at every turn. Lead guitar is particularly fine on “Hollywood Hold-up,” taking us on a high-pitched, histrionic sprint. But when it comes to hookability, “Chemical Incision,” with its taunting, manic line––“Somethin’ wrong with your brain, boy!?”––is hard to resist. The song’s dynamics and structural daring are a potent one-two punch. Outcast millennials could embrace these musical miscreants.