read the full-length posted at splendid e-zine
review courtesy of Phillip Buchan

 Like Boy Sets Fire and Project 86, I-Defy takes all the essentials of a 21st century hard rock band and arranges them in a such a way that they can't quite be pigeonholed. Though this is their first full length, they already show maturity and ability beyond what one would expect, especially when it comes to plowing through torrid mosh pit passages, creating dynamics via a soaring guitar lead, and finessing their way through fourteen songs without recycling the same sounds.  Perhaps the most promising thing about I-Defy is that they never get too mindless and jockish, or too limpwristed and whiny, which opens them up to a wide audience and proves them to be more than an ephemeral "scene" band.
www.splendidezine.com

 

read the full-length posted on pastepunk.com
review courtesy of Jordan A. Baker

  Anyway, I-DEFY play a thumping mix of hardcore that compares well to STRETCH ARMSTRONG and ENSIGN. Througout the 14 tunes, there's a great deal of variety, using plenty of different timing changes, and building on momentum created from preceding tunes. There's influences of old-school, some metalcore, and some good ol' punk rock too.
The artwork, and all around packing is very impressive, and it shows that much attention, time, and skill went into its creation. It's definitely refreshing to see a band not get up in the repetitive patterns of "dude, we need to make it look more hardcore," or "yo, that picture of us standing in that field of grain is like ultra-sensitive."
I have no idea if this band tours at all but I'm intrigued enough to find out more and give this release a bunch of more spins.
www.pastepunk.com

 

read the full-length review posted at decoy-online zine
review clip courtesy of Derek Willett
9.5/10
  Creating a nice blend between metal, punk, and hardcore, I-Defy are one of the few bands that manage to get across their political messages, along with a refreshingly well-written musical approach as well.
 ...If you are looking for a band that is able to rock hard, and spread a message at the same time, I-Defy should be next on your list to pick up.
www.decoy-online.com

 

full-length posted on inverse-music.com
review courtesy of Andrew Hill

i-defy have already received considerable attention over the last couple of months and with their name spreading fast, don't be surprised if you hear of this band very soon.
Brent Vandekerkhove leads the assault with aggressive growls and gritty spoken word passages. Guitarists Jeff Love and Ryan Tilly work well together, throwing out quarrelsome riffs, giant chugs and the occasional pluck, to help form a forceful musical foundation. Bassist Dave Sessor looms underneath the guitars with a simple, yet effective, bass playing style.
Overall, I really enjoyed i-defy's "Guides to Action". Their angst-ridden guitars and aggressive drum patterns drive home their lyrics of the not-so-bright future in a lively and destructive way. There are also some quite mellow parts in songs that really catch your attention. Definitely worth checking out when you have time, then you won't be left shocked when they blow up in your face.
www.inverse-music.com

 

full-length review posted at actionattackhelicopter
review courtesy of brooke black

 This is actually a really good hardcore album drawing a bit from the good ole old school with driving metal serenades and anguished guitar gasps that deliver a poignant message. I-Defy let their listeners know what they believe in, what they want to do about it and through the singer’s amazing vocals bring on home for everyone to understand.
Thank god for bands like I-Defy to get across a succinct and beautifully emotive point that is not only orchestrated by perfectly interweaving guitar-strumming opuses and tightly unified syncopations, and did I mention the vocals? Darkly gorgeous and omniscient. As long as you just let the music itself speak volumes you won’t need anything written on paper, unless it’s tour dates.
 www.actionattackhelicopter.com

 

as posted in impact press (online and print zine)
review courtesy of Alex Llama

  The basis for i-defy's music is their anger with today's social landscape. Racism, violence and other injustices fuel their old-school hardcore, with staccato vocals and ripping guitars. Every once in a while, they inject some melodies into a song, then continue to shred. (AL)
www.impactpress.com


 

full-length posted on the gauntlet
review courtesy of jason ferret

The Lessons of Life's Brutality Become Guides to Action is a ravenous debut that viciously slashes at the disturbing underbelly of America, and is a strong debut that should loudly announce I-Defy to the underground hardcore scene.
"Lights Out" opens the album with fiery determination, as Brent Vandekerkhove screams in pure agony about the despicable state of affairs the United States is currently in. With this one track, two things become crystal clear: one being the impressive lyrical focus, which forces the listener to actually contemplate their very actions instead of filtering through their memory quickly to be forgotten. Secondly is the sheer dominance of drummer Dan Rose, as this one man is the flame that ignites -i-defy's inner-fury. The remarkable command and complete aggression displayed by Rose is startling, and propels the majority of these songs forward. The urgent sense of importance held by Vandekerkhove on "Cryonic Day" give the song spirit, and despite the off-kilter melodies thrown about, is one of the band's most accessible tracks and may be the best starting point for new listeners. The group's intensity is captured wonderfully on "Stop the Game" as it's straight-forward lyrical outrage at the hatred and ignorance of society is undeniably impactful. The driving guitars and enraged screams that assail the listener's ears on "If Mourning Doesn't Come" catapult this song into the listener's face, and considering it is one of the group's oldest tracks, it is obviously one of the smoothest musically. The gritty crunch that i-defy exemplify here is common with many of the hardcore scene's bands, yet once again the intelligent lyrics accompanying the rather standard music saves i-defy from becoming just another forgettable indie group. The spoken word vocals on this track also help cement the song in one's memory; Vandekerkhove's restrained anger during these moments of clarity help lend weight to the serious diatribes he speaks of.
Much of ...Guides to Action follows in the path these aforementioned songs pave, unleashing pent up hostility alongside lyrics rich in depth. The significance i-defy put on their lyrical content is similar to the origins of hardcore when groups actually wished for their music to spread a message and educate while also encouraging insane pit-dancing.
 The conviction and dedication shown here demands notice, and i-defy leave quite an impression. If the band continues in this fashion, they will surely rise to the top of the independent scene sooner than later, as this album is a hell of a start. It also happens to be one of the more accessible hardcore albums of it's nature, and should attract a fair share of metal and emocore fans. I-Defy have picked a perfect time to drop this powerful bomb on the hardcore community, as groups such as Hatebreed and Thursday have been thrust into the mainstream spotlight. Given an opportunity, i-defy could go quite far, this album surely attests to their perseverance in the face of adversity.
www.thegauntlet.com

 

as posted on smother E-zine
review courtesy of j.sin

Having formed in ’98, i-defy screams about the horrors of our reality and society—-racism, violence, hatred, and inequality being just the tips of the proverbial iceberg. “Lights Out” starts this chaotic 14-track of positive hardcore with metal edges and without drowning in their tears they rip up the CD player with old-school hardcore. And it doesn’t end there, they continue the aural assault with the occasional melodic breakdown. Doing what so many bands out there are trying isn’t just easy for these guys, they take the extra step doing something original yet familiar without sounding like the hundreds of their counterparts truly blessing the listener. Medea Records has a winner on their hands and now it’s just a question of which prize they’d like to claim.
www.smother.net

 

read the full-length review posted on concreteweb.be (belgium)
review courtesy of dwight go ossens

 14 aggressive songs with a metal shine and a melodically intermezzo once in a while. And that’s a good thing because this separates them from the other old school hardcore bands. Pure!
Points: 80/100

www.concreteweb.be

 

as posted on InTheEnd online
review courtesy of i.t.e.

i-defy from Michigan play heavy emotional-hardcore with mellower bits thrown in from time to time, they can easily be compared to 12 Hour-Turn or Poison The Well, which depending on your musical tastes is either a good or a bad thing. For me it's a good thing and I think this CD is great. "Your America" definitely stands out as the best track, although each of the four are good. The full album, "Guides To Action", comes out in June and judging by this it will be a good release.



 

as posted on www.punkrocks.net
review courtesy of Michael Farr

Like much of the great stuff I have been listening to lately, I ran across Michigan’s i-defy on MP3.com and immediately sent away for this 4-song demo CD. A true DIY effort, i-defy’s demo CD is a nice, albeit brief introduction into the band showcasing their penchant for thick grooves and straight-on powerful hardcore.
The cool thing about this disc is that it showcases the talents of a bright up and coming band in very different styles. After a brief, but cool intro clip from of big Bobby Deniro from the classic Scorsese flick, Taxi Driver, ‘Ignorance’ thumps in with some especially cool Victory-style grooves and off-beat guitars reminiscent of early Helmet. One of the best things about the way this band is their cohesiveness in continuing a groove. There is something really gripping about the way this song chugs along. You can tell right away this band is on the right track; this would be considered the slow to mid-tempo song (with a really aggressive upcharge at the finish. I am not to sure about the excessive growling at the end…it seems a bit overdone but damn cookin’ nonetheless. In my opinion, "One By One" is the only song that sounds a bit sophomoric. It chunks along good enough, kind of Rage Against the Machine thing (with quirky guitar parts over thumping rhythmic bass). The only problem I found was that the song gets a bit repetitive…I would hazard to guess that this was an early song, as the others far outshine "One By One". But when i-defy press the pedal down on "Hollow Minds" (complete with Cheech & Chong intro), these guys fucking cook like the best of Revelation style hardcore. I really dig the way this one is sung. Some really great vocal phrasing sets the tone for this raging anthem. Consider this the up-tempo song. Lastly, "Star-Spangled Lies" has to be one of the coolest groove intensive hardcore songs in the history of the genre. This is the song that melds the mid-tempo and upbeat into one incredibly cohesive song. The fucking vocals on this song are just impeccable for hardcore synchronization; especially the sections with multiple vocals. I just love the shit out of this song. This is i-defy when they kick everything into gear. And lyrically, i-defy stand above the crowd with a penchant for expressing the frustrations and anger experienced in this world of racism, violence and hate.
Given that this is the first taste of this young band, there is no denying that abilities that i-defy possess. I gave listen to another song, "A Fascist Pace", on their MP3 site that is available only on the ‘Flat Detroit’ compilation, and that tune tore it up in the same chunky style as "Star-Spangled Lies"; massive Victory-style riffs, talented hard vocals, and an infectious rhythm that kept me wanting more. When this band blends their use of rhythms and speed, they are a great listen. With a full album slated for release in JULY of 2002 on Medea Records, i-defy are poised to offer up a hardcore groove that we won’t want to miss. I would suggest a big X on your calendars for that one. For now…pick this disc up and catch a glimpse of what is surely a band to look out for.
www.punkrocks.net