Void Terra Firma

By 1990...Thrash Metal was out. Plain and simple. Anybody playing Thrash Metal was either too late to the scene or looked at with no enthusiasm what-so-ever. It was a pretty grim place to be because there was not only the complete decline of the genre, but Seattle was already starting to hit the mainstream and pave way for grunge, or again the second wave thrash gems were few and far between as opposed to where you could just point a finger and strike gold. Prime examples of second wave thrash were bands like Exhorder, Demolition Hammer, and Morbid Saint who were making it more violent and extreme which is what was needed at the time to keep up with the demand for metalheads to keep them interested and not think they weren't just another Metallica or Slayer clone. Defiance were one of those bands that struggled between trying to make it and not sound generic.

"Void Terra Firma" is a major step-up from their first album "Product of Society." For one the sound production is way better. The instruments sound more full. Secondly Defiance has upped the aggressive riffs a slight notch, which is always good. Third is a new vocalist and whaddya know? It's Steeve Esquivel that would become well-known with Skinlab. Here he doesn't sound like a douchebag. I'll be damned. He's sound like a third rate Chuck Billy, but at least he's not sounding like a third rate Robb Flynn/Phil Anselmo. Last but not least there are not as many snoozers.

"Void Terra Firma" starts off with the title track and get things started on the rgith foot. Already there is an improvement on everything, even down to where you can actually hear the bass. "Deception On Faith" begins sounding like a slightly more faster version of Testament in certain parts. Not my cup of tea, but still worth listening to. "Questions" is slower than the previous two. I'm not sure what a "Skitz Illusions" is, but it's a damn good song. "Slayground" is funny with it's opening of lead singer Steeve Esquivel doing his best high-pitched Thrash vocal impression but falls so flat. This sounds like a Megadeth without the balls-to-the-wall punch. "Killers" is like "Deception On Faith" in being generic. The last half of the album; "Steam Roller," "Checkmate," "Buried or Burned," and "Last Resort(Welcome To Poverty" are all just good enough to keep your attention and keep you from being bored.

For a second album from a time when things weren't as promising and getting harder to produce amazing result, Defiance did a way better job with their second album. I wouldn't go anywhere to call this a classic, but still worth picking up.