Review by Jeger on May 29, 2025.

Destroy their Gods and silence the oppressors! A world rid of religion where the freedom for exploration and growth can truly thrive. Can you imagine it? No more control, no more empty threats of Hell and no more spiritual captivity. A glorious Utopia indeed. Illuminate this Dark Age! Revive the dreams of olde when the Cosmos bestowed upon us the wonder of Aeons yet to be recorded and of endless possibilities. Defiance is where it all begins… The iron will inside that aches for liberation, for but a glimpse of a better day. This tried and true concept has been explored by countless Extreme Metal bands over the decades. German Melodic Death Metal collective, Nightbearer, have emerged from out of the Void and into this Dystopia we call our present day; projecting a vision for freedom in this cursed time.

Nightbearer formed in 2017, and have since released two, soon to be three full-length studio records, all of which have been inspired by fantasy literature: Tolkien, Lovecraft, Jordan and Sir Philip Pullman. The latter's "His Dark Materials" trilogy has served as inspiration for Nightbearer's forthcoming Defiance LP, which is scheduled for a June 13 release via Testimony Records.

The Gothenburg style is renowned the world over - bands like Dark Tranguillity, In Flames and At the Gates who've left a gargantuan impact upon a most proud MDM scene. Nightbearer is one of many bands who've taken a shine to this particular movement, and have so chosen to record music that is redolent to the output of the greats who came before them, but with the zeal of the early '90's and the innovation of today's Extreme Metal climate. The result? Greatness... Do these guys even know how good they are? I would hope so, because what I'm hearing right now is nothing short of astounding. Defiance is true scene-dominating material. The forward-thinking vision of their fellow Germans, Nyktophobia, but reined in by that aforementioned early '90's Gothenburg swagger. Following a tranquil acoustic intro in "Dust", the floodgates are opened; forcefully spewing forth with inertia-inducing momentum the following track, "His Dark Materials". Grinding, chainsaw distortion-encrusted Death Metal riffs, like a plow, drive you forward into divine melodic passages that launch you eagerly into the realm of imagination. A tactical power-play on the mind that inspires the old "holy shit" reaction that we yearn for. This synergy of brutality and sophistication is only solidified during the following titular track. Larger-than-life in its grandiosity yet strategically composed; rendering a profound dual-sided experience. Keyboards having their way toward the end just before a soulful lead ensues. The energy is like a hit of crystal meth: focused, excited and ecstatic.

Plenty of material to bang your head to, but also plenty to get those rusted wheels of the mind revolving has Defiance. Contemplating the possibilities and juiced up on the electric energy of it all. "Dying Knows No Bounds" - Monstrosity-level gravity pulling you back down to Earth during what is the heaviest cut on the album. Defiance might be rooted in Sverige traditions, but its true DM foundation is what bolsters everything; a rigid spine with spider vein-like melodic expansions that spread rapidly across the circuitry of your brain with seizure-inducing intensity. A few breakdowns here and there along with the occasional tremolo riff to complete this comprehensive Melodic Death Metal exhibition. Epic is the feel and cosmic is the aesthetic. Just a well-rounded, wisely realized work of music.

The scene is just aching for more albums like Defiance - volumes of substance that make you feel as if you're just beginning your Extreme Metal journey - like an enthralled teenager listening to "Lunar Strain" (In Flames) for the very first time. Wonder and fascination taking hold without a second's hesitation. The dawning of a new Age is upon us! An age of unshackling and of release into the excitement of the unknown, and it begins with Defiance. Are you free enough to challenge the powers that be? Are you individual enough to face the unknown despite the ignorance of herd mentality? Are you ready for Defiance? Accuse, oppose and liberate. The time is ours for the taking…

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Jeger on May 29, 2025.

Destroy their Gods and silence the oppressors! A world rid of religion where the freedom for exploration and growth can truly thrive. Can you imagine it? No more control, no more empty threats of Hell and no more spiritual captivity. A glorious Utopia indeed. Illuminate this Dark Age! Revive the dreams of olde when the Cosmos bestowed upon us the wonder of Aeons yet to be recorded and of endless possibilities. Defiance is where it all begins… The iron will inside that aches for liberation, for but a glimpse of a better day. This tried and true concept has been explored by countless Extreme Metal bands over the decades. German Melodic Death Metal collective, Nightbearer, have emerged from out of the Void and into this Dystopia we call our present day; projecting a vision for freedom in this cursed time.

Nightbearer formed in 2017, and have since released two, soon to be three full-length studio records, all of which have been inspired by fantasy literature: Tolkien, Lovecraft, Jordan and Sir Philip Pullman. The latter's "His Dark Materials" trilogy has served as inspiration for Nightbearer's forthcoming Defiance LP, which is scheduled for a June 13 release via Testimony Records.

The Gothenburg style is renowned the world over - bands like Dark Tranguillity, In Flames and At the Gates who've left a gargantuan impact upon a most proud MDM scene. Nightbearer is one of many bands who've taken a shine to this particular movement, and have so chosen to record music that is redolent to the output of the greats who came before them, but with the zeal of the early '90's and the innovation of today's Extreme Metal climate. The result? Greatness... Do these guys even know how good they are? I would hope so, because what I'm hearing right now is nothing short of astounding. Defiance is true scene-dominating material. The forward-thinking vision of their fellow Germans, Nyktophobia, but reined in by that aforementioned early '90's Gothenburg swagger. Following a tranquil acoustic intro in "Dust", the floodgates are opened; forcefully spewing forth with inertia-inducing momentum the following track, "His Dark Materials". Grinding, chainsaw distortion-encrusted Death Metal riffs, like a plow, drive you forward into divine melodic passages that launch you eagerly into the realm of imagination. A tactical power-play on the mind that inspires the old "holy shit" reaction that we yearn for. This synergy of brutality and sophistication is only solidified during the following titular track. Larger-than-life in its grandiosity yet strategically composed; rendering a profound dual-sided experience. Keyboards having their way toward the end just before a soulful lead ensues. The energy is like a hit of crystal meth: focused, excited and ecstatic.

Plenty of material to bang your head to, but also plenty to get those rusted wheels of the mind revolving has Defiance. Contemplating the possibilities and juiced up on the electric energy of it all. "Dying Knows No Bounds" - Monstrosity-level gravity pulling you back down to Earth during what is the heaviest cut on the album. Defiance might be rooted in Sverige traditions, but its true DM foundation is what bolsters everything; a rigid spine with spider vein-like melodic expansions that spread rapidly across the circuitry of your brain with seizure-inducing intensity. A few breakdowns here and there along with the occasional tremolo riff to complete this comprehensive Melodic Death Metal exhibition. Epic is the feel and cosmic is the aesthetic. Just a well-rounded, wisely realized work of music.

The scene is just aching for more albums like Defiance - volumes of substance that make you feel as if you're just beginning your Extreme Metal journey - like an enthralled teenager listening to "Lunar Strain" (In Flames) for the very first time. Wonder and fascination taking hold without a second's hesitation. The dawning of a new Age is upon us! An age of unshackling and of release into the excitement of the unknown, and it begins with Defiance. Are you free enough to challenge the powers that be? Are you individual enough to face the unknown despite the ignorance of herd mentality? Are you ready for Defiance? Accuse, oppose and liberate. The time is ours for the taking…

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Jeger on May 29, 2025.

Destroy their Gods and silence the oppressors! A world rid of religion where the freedom for exploration and growth can truly thrive. Can you imagine it? No more control, no more empty threats of Hell and no more spiritual captivity. A glorious Utopia indeed. Illuminate this Dark Age! Revive the dreams of olde when the Cosmos bestowed upon us the wonder of Aeons yet to be recorded and of endless possibilities. Defiance is where it all begins… The iron will inside that aches for liberation, for but a glimpse of a better day. This tried and true concept has been explored by countless Extreme Metal bands over the decades. German Melodic Death Metal collective, Nightbearer, have emerged from out of the Void and into this Dystopia we call our present day; projecting a vision for freedom in this cursed time.

Nightbearer formed in 2017, and have since released two, soon to be three full-length studio records, all of which have been inspired by fantasy literature: Tolkien, Lovecraft, Jordan and Sir Philip Pullman. The latter's "His Dark Materials" trilogy has served as inspiration for Nightbearer's forthcoming Defiance LP, which is scheduled for a June 13 release via Testimony Records.

The Gothenburg style is renowned the world over - bands like Dark Tranguillity, In Flames and At the Gates who've left a gargantuan impact upon a most proud MDM scene. Nightbearer is one of many bands who've taken a shine to this particular movement, and have so chosen to record music that is redolent to the output of the greats who came before them, but with the zeal of the early '90's and the innovation of today's Extreme Metal climate. The result? Greatness... Do these guys even know how good they are? I would hope so, because what I'm hearing right now is nothing short of astounding. Defiance is true scene-dominating material. The forward-thinking vision of their fellow Germans, Nyktophobia, but reined in by that aforementioned early '90's Gothenburg swagger. Following a tranquil acoustic intro in "Dust", the floodgates are opened; forcefully spewing forth with inertia-inducing momentum the following track, "His Dark Materials". Grinding, chainsaw distortion-encrusted Death Metal riffs, like a plow, drive you forward into divine melodic passages that launch you eagerly into the realm of imagination. A tactical power-play on the mind that inspires the old "holy shit" reaction that we yearn for. This synergy of brutality and sophistication is only solidified during the following titular track. Larger-than-life in its grandiosity yet strategically composed; rendering a profound dual-sided experience. Keyboards having their way toward the end just before a soulful lead ensues. The energy is like a hit of crystal meth: focused, excited and ecstatic.

Plenty of material to bang your head to, but also plenty to get those rusted wheels of the mind revolving has Defiance. Contemplating the possibilities and juiced up on the electric energy of it all. "Dying Knows No Bounds" - Monstrosity-level gravity pulling you back down to Earth during what is the heaviest cut on the album. Defiance might be rooted in Sverige traditions, but its true DM foundation is what bolsters everything; a rigid spine with spider vein-like melodic expansions that spread rapidly across the circuitry of your brain with seizure-inducing intensity. A few breakdowns here and there along with the occasional tremolo riff to complete this comprehensive Melodic Death Metal exhibition. Epic is the feel and cosmic is the aesthetic. Just a well-rounded, wisely realized work of music.

The scene is just aching for more albums like Defiance - volumes of substance that make you feel as if you're just beginning your Extreme Metal journey - like an enthralled teenager listening to "Lunar Strain" (In Flames) for the very first time. Wonder and fascination taking hold without a second's hesitation. The dawning of a new Age is upon us! An age of unshackling and of release into the excitement of the unknown, and it begins with Defiance. Are you free enough to challenge the powers that be? Are you individual enough to face the unknown despite the ignorance of herd mentality? Are you ready for Defiance? Accuse, oppose and liberate. The time is ours for the taking…

Rating: 9.2 out of 10