Most everyone is aware of the fruitful Bay Area thrash scene that sprung up in the 80s around the likes of Metallica, Exodus and others. While the scene did spawn some of the era's best thrash, it also spawned off a whole host of second and third string bands that, while enthusiastic, probably don't warrant quite the same high regard as others in the scene.

One such band is Defiance. While the band featured decent guitarists and all the elements of Bay Area thrash, Defiance never did much to set themselves apart from the rest of the flock. The band's debut, Product of Society, is a passable attempt at the hallowed style, but not exactly something that'll hold up over time as a classic, or even a pretty darned good record. Defiance had the whole thrash thing down, including the pretty acoustic interludes and song introductions, but their songs tended to run through a series of crunchy riffs without providing a hook for the listener. Vocalist Ken Elkinton, who left after the debut, is completely without identity, offering nothing more than a standard rundown of the lyrics. As a result, nothing about Product of Society stands out in any regard. There are some good thrash records from the era, but this isn't one of them.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 12/2003

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