Def Con One – Warface.

Def  Con One (Defence Readiness Condition) is a warning that nuclear war is imminent and the debut album Warface by the band Def Con One could be the soundtrack to it! For example the drumming alone by ex-Venom member Antton Lant could be described in one of the album tracks  10 bullets where vocalist Davey Meikle screams “10 bullets to the chest,10 bullets” such is the power of his delivery!

I expect whoever endorses Antton’s drums and the guitar and bass strings of Johnny Hunter and Steve Miller have got their work cut out judging by the workout  they are given on the 12 songs on Warface. The same comment also applies to Davey Meikle as he sounds truly possessed with his vocals as they alternate from  banshee screams to a croon bringing to mind M Shadows and Layne Staley, highlighted especially on the acoustic Feeling Cold and closing track Give Me Strength 6&6 where he delivers an unstoppable vocal tour de force.

Album opener Never Look Back opens with a brief drum barrage until one of many earth moving riffs on Warface comes in with Davey roaring in with the song title screamed out 4 times. The vocals are almost spoken word until they increase in pitch as the song then goes into an almost Alice In Chains mid section. 2nd track March Of The Dead’s marching sound effect is followed by a massive riff which Dino Cazares from Fear Factory would of been proud to have wrote. The song has one of those choruses you just want to clench your fist to  and shout along with and the song ends with a lightspeed shimmering guitar solo. The album’s title track is next, its grinding riff followed by a ” One,two lets go ” with the band joining in with backing vocals of  ” Show me your warface! “, the video of the song can be found on youtube! Hold On rides along on an uptempo riff and  some manic drum patterns from Antton. Blood’s killer intro is followed by some gnarly speaker to speaker riffing before the song heads into more pissed off vocals by Davey. Stepped In Pain storms in at hardcore pace, reminiscent of classic Biohazard. One of my highlights is next, the raging 10 bullets with a lung busting vocal. The aforementioned Feeling Cold opens and closes with a beating heart, a  tolling bell setting the scene for a cathartic vocal. My Halo has a Pantera chug feel with another monster chorus of  ” My halos slipping from my head, slip away, slip away! “. Hit List is another Godzilla like stomper with a laid back vocal. In Death’s thundering guitar and bass is pinned down by more awesome drum patterns as the song ends with a wailing wah-wah guitar solo.  Another previously mentioned track is next, album closer Give Me Strength 6&6, my highlight of the album which has to be heard to be believed and will certainly be a show stopper live. It rumbles along with a Herculean vocal, walking the line of many emotions.

Newcastle based Def Con One were formed almost 10yrs ago by Johnny and Antton, releasing a 5 track self titled ep last year, 3 of which have been re-recorded and included on Warface. The ep led to the band playing at the legendary Bloodstock festival here in the UK the same year and the organisers described Def Con One as  ” A bar fight between Machine Head, Slayer and Pantera “. Warface will be  released via Scarlet Records on June 19th  2012. Forthcoming live dates in May are on the 24th at Trillians,Newcastle,the 25th at the Snooty Fox, Wakefield and on the 1st day of the Metal Gods festival on the 26th at the Intake Club,Mansfield.

Def Con One band line up :-

Davey Meikle- Vocals.

Antton Lant- Drums.

Johnny Hunter- Guitar.

Steve Miller- Bass.

Warface track listing :–

Never Look Back.

March Of The Dead.

Warface.

Hold On.

Blood.

Stepped In Pain.

10 Bullets.

Feeling Cold.

My Halo.

Hit List.

In Death.

Give Me Strength 6&6.

I award the album 10/10.