Heartbreaking Bravery

In just under two weeks a small army of notable songs have been unveiled, including new titles from acts like Cowtown, The Pills, The Amazing, Trust Punks, Descendents, Tempesst, Ultimate Painting, Cave Curse, Trevor Sensor, Katie Burden, Tom Brosseau, Opposite Sex, True Neutral Crew, Crocodiles, Grieving, Henry Chadwick, Shapes In Calgary, Goblin Cock, and Saints Patience. That run of songs all but closes out the list of the finest tracks to cross this site’s path over the interim, with one notable exception: Birth (Defect)’s near-feral “Demands”.

A brief talk with Birth (Defects)’s vocalist (as well as social activist, Is This Venue Accessible mastermind, Accidental Guest head, and all-around great human) Sean Gray revealed that “Demands” was the first song the band ever wrote. Gray still considers it the band’s finest offering and, with this new version recorded by Perfect Pussy‘s Shaun Sutkus and rounded out by the band’s recently-expanded lineup, it’s not difficult to see why that’s the case.

Like nearly all great hardcore bands of any breed, Birth (Defects) draw considerable power from frustration and that frustration has never manifested more clearly than in the staccato stabbings of “Demands”, which complements the band’s most recent offering — the incendiary “Hanshin“, which will be the track’s flip-side on the forthcoming 7” — to perfection.

Through aggressive, chaotic caterwauling, Birth (Defects) carve out a home in a dark corner and sink their heels in deep, recoiling while simultaneously positioning themselves for attack. Feedback runs through everything, providing an air of discordance that drives up a sense of tension that never evaporates and lingers on after the final snare blast. Somehow, as raw and primordial as it seems on the surface, “Demands” can’t help but feel weirdly triumphant. It’s the sound of a band who have embraced their voice and are intent on projecting it through a row of sharpened teeth. The end result? A third-degree bite mark that deserves to be worn like a badge of honor.

Listen to “Demands” below and pre-order the 7″ from Reptilian here.