Defender – Dying To Live

Defender
Dying To Live
Label: Metalapolis Records
Out: March 21^st, 2025
Playing time: 43:34

Balingen – wasn’t there something? Exactly. The Bang Your Head Festival was held there for twenty years. But after three coronavirus cancellations (2020 – 2022), the final end was announced in 2023. And in April 2024, organiser Horst Franz passed away. Nevertheless, things are not getting any quieter in the city in the south of Baden-Württemberg. The Rock and Metal bands based here are probably responsible for this. And that’s exactly where Heavy Metal Band Defender, founded in 2016, comes from. After the 2018 EP ‘Rising High’, the debut album ‘Dying To Live’ will be released in March.

You can hardly celebrate metal more authentically than DEFENDER, both visually and musically.

This information from the Metalapolis Records label naturally arouses curiosity.

Knocking and creaking noises form the introduction to ‘Dying To Live’. After a chime, however, things really get going. Twin guitars provide an impressive sound. And the press quote is confirmed. Dennis Bauer’s vocals are accompanied by fast hook lines and guitar riffs. And the first guitar solos can already be heard. ‘Survivor’ also offers high-speed Metal. Driven by the drummer, both guitarists perform at their best. After an anthemic introduction, the guitars gallop ahead again on ‘Time For Freedom’. ‘Living Runaway’ starts with fast drumming. There’s not much new after that – Metal at high speed. This continues at first with ‘Carry The World’, ‘Granite Heart’ and ‘Restless Power’. Defender go mercilessly fast. But wait, ‘Neverland’ is a wonderful ballad in between. Here the musicians show that you can play impressive Heavy Metal without trying to break speed records. There is also a huge guitar solo. And ‘Running Out Of Bad Times’ also moves forward at a moderate pace, with a sing-along refrain. The bouncer ‘Serenade To Life’ starts as a ballad. However, it later turns out to be a fast instrumental Power Metal anthem.

High-speed Metal dominates on ‘Dying To Live’. When the album then runs the risk of becoming boring thanks to the excessive power, it loosens up with a ballad and a Metal anthem. Why the anthem is exclusively instrumental is beyond me. And it’s a pity that it’s the only hymn on the album. Nevertheless, Defender have made a good album debut. However, I would like to see a little more variety on the follow-up.

Defender – Survivor: https://youtu.be/xjea7WsAArw?si=e1mxIiJaGSNg3iHS

Lineup:

Dennis Bauer – Vocals, Guitar
Christoph Ott – Guitar
Fabian Bartl – Bass
Hannes Stengel – Drums

Track list:

• Dying To Live
• Survivor
• Time For Freedom
• Living Runaway
• Carry The World
• Neverland
• Granite Heart
• Running Out Of Bad Times
• Restless Power
• Serenade To Life