Anyone who’s ever felt that their life is just tearing past them, that they’re missing opportunities and not utilising their time, will see a painfully honest mirror held up to them in the new single from Defences, “The Almost”. One of the first signs of life from London alternative-metal combo, featuring front woman Cherry Duesbury, since their furious second album “In The Balance” (2021), the song addresses the manipulated illusions served up on the world’s major platform media that we all indulge in and fall for. Non-stop high life, always happy, always cash-rich – as much as the endless array of personalities love to strut their stuff against glitzy backdrops, this has precious little to do with the real lives of most of us. And it’s these highly awkward themes that Defences look at, openly and directly, turning devastating insights into melodic metal anthems that offer up hope and amount to nothing less than empowerment cast in sound. Which is exactly what’s delivered by the two other singles “The Curse” and “Gold In The Dark” - two teasers pointing to the upcoming third album. In September, the band will be presenting this new song material with the greatest finesse on-stage for us.