Defeater

In cinema, when a story reaches its conclusion, it often leaves room for a prequel to be told. And so it is on Defeater's newest album, Letters Home. After reaching a tipping point in the World War II tales of their earlier works, they returned to a previous time, telling the narrative through the eyes of the main character's father. The music is also a nod to the past, or at least the past for Defeater, with the sound being more akin to previous releases Travels and Lost Ground than 2011's Empty Days & Sleepless Nights. The acoustic ballads that filled out that record are noticeably absent. While that softer side undoubtedly opened the group to a broader audience, it also gave hardcore purists a point of contention. Fortunately, Letters Home gives something to write home about, bringing to mind Have Heart's swansong, Songs to Scream at the Sun, while simultaneously containing Defeater's best material to date.