CD, Audiotrauma, 2005
www.audiotrauma.org
“Defied” was my first encounter with the work of F.Y.D., members of the French label Audiotrauma. And what a beautiful, brutal experience it was. This release is not for the faint of heart, so the Intelligent Dolphin Music crowds should better run home under their beds if they come across “Defied”.
A powerhouse of a record, it practically obliterates the listener with a precisely chaotic mixture of heavy beats, pulsating through every track while pure industrial-metal guitar riffs send you thrashing around. The gnarling, distorted vocals could win F.Y.D. a shoutfest versus renowned acts like Synapscape, making the end result even more intimidating to the untrained ear. Indeed, the power that the duo releases through the twelve original tracks and the four remixes of the album is staggering, specially for a debut release. Somewhere between Ministry and Synapscape, F.Y.D. Manage to strike a balance between their cold, electronic elements and harsh guitars and vocals, creating a uniquely hostile sound.
Presented by the label as a soundtrack to a riot, the description does little justice to the record, as it alone could start a riot, or at the very least a quarrel with your neighbours ending with charges against you for disruption of public peace, or aggravated assault if someone is actually dumb enough to ask you to turn the volume down while playing this.
[8/10]
— George Mouratidis