LAHANNYA - review added 21st October 2009
Album Review: Defiance (2009)
For fans of: Alt Rock... and industrial wanderings
Defiance is Lahannya's 2nd full length studio album and follows 2007's Shotgun Reality. She also released an EP, Welcome To The Underground, last year as a precursor to this album.
Lahannya's first proper solo release was the Drowning EP back in 2000. Back then the sound was compared to Throwing Muses, Cranes and Garbage. Nowadays she sounds more like a feminine take on German industrial metal. Not bad for a girl originally from Brighton on the UK's south coast. In her time she's also been a DJ (at London club Slimelight), and collaborated with Greenhaus, Soman and more.
The present line-up started coming together in 2004 when she met up with German bassist Lutz Demmler. It was completed a couple of years later by Belle (drums) and Chris Milden (guitar).
Defiance is a strange album. It's likeable but, unfortunately, samey and boring in places. Lahannya's voice borders on flat throughout. In all fairness, she is never out of tune, but her tone does not promote excitement. She reminds me of Donita Sparks of ye-olde band L7 with her punky edge and scant emotion. Lahannya is actually better and more tuneful than that, but the similarities are striking at times.
The first full track 'Dying inside' has a pleasant harmonized chorus. 'Sick And Tired' is heavy, quick and lively but fails to get anywhere. I'm a big fan of the brutal lead riff in 'Brave New World', although it sadly only appears on odd occasions. The song as a whole is still good though. 'Burn' is spunky but uninspiring. 'Adrenaline' has a good sound but plods. The piano opening of 'Open Your Eyes' promises good things but doesn't deliver. The track sounds too much like (are you ready for this?) 'I only Have Eyes For You' performed by Art Garfunkel and The Flamingos amongst others. Go figure.
The dance-inspired tones of 'Interference' are different but still nothing to write home about. 'Piece By Piece' is more interesting. It's a slower track with a doomy metallic vibe and has plenty of atmosphere. 'Kill Me If You Can' straddles the line between good and average. It's almost there but a certain something is lacking. 'No Way Out' is run of the mill, final song 'Our War' is no better.
Defiance is not by any means an awful album but it offers little to separate it from the pack. There are no massive moments or classic tracks and the performances are merely okay. I don't doubt there are plenty of people who will dig the neo-technical nuances on the album, and Lahannya's decidedly above-average feminine charms will always guarantee her a presence at live gigs, but for me this is a release I won't bother visiting again.
Check out... The cool artwork.
Track List:
1. Prelude
2. Dying Inside
3. Sick and Tired
4. Brave New World
5. Burn
6. Adrenaline
7. Open your Eyes
8. Interference
9. Piece by Piece
10. Kill Me If You Can
11. No Way Out
12. Our War
Artist's website(s): Lahannya , MySpace
