ACT OF DEFIANCE's new song "The Talisman" can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's sophomore album, "Old Scars, New Wounds", which will be released on September 29 via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Birth And The Burial" was mixed by Dave Otero, who has previously worked with CEPHALIC CARNAGE and CATTLE DECAPITATION, among others. The cover artwork was created by Travis Smith (KING DIAMOND, OPETH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD). ACT OF DEFIANCE is the group featuring former MEGADETH members Shawn Drover (drums) and Chris Broderick (guitar), alongside ex-SCAR THE MARTYR singer Henry Derek Bonner and SHADOWS FALL's Matt Bachand (bass). On "Old Scars, New Wounds", ACT OF DEFIANCE has upped the ante. Each of the eleven new tracks sound fresh and urgent while wielding a timeless quality that will connect powerfully with metal fans new and old — and there aren't many contemporary bands who can make such a claim. Naturally blending a plethora of metallic styles and never recycling ideas, "Old Scars, New Wounds" is an even more dynamic and diverse collection than its predecessor, which was written solely by Broderick and Drover prior to recruiting Bachand and Derek. With a fully seasoned, tour-hardened band in place, there was room for everyone to bring something to the table this time around, and their varying styles helped shape the record. The title — plucked from the blistering track "Conspiracy Of The Gods" — stands as a metaphor for life in general, and the breadth of lyrical matter covered is as broad as the styles of heavy music found on the record. "Another Killing Spree" looks at hardcore drug use, while "Lullaby Of Vengeance" is an angry song about singing angry lyrics, and "Overexposure" is an anthem dedicated to not selling out. There is also some very topical material, most notably on "Mis-Information Age" and "Broken Dialect". "'Mis-Information Age' is very applicable in today's social climate, where we can no longer blindly trust the source of facts that determine our view," Broderick explains. "It asserts that we should be skeptical, making sure we have the truth and not someone's propaganda, while 'Broken Dialect' conveys the idea that people can no longer hold a conversation with each other where their views differ, instead turning to sources that only support the view they want to hold on to." With every track featuring a blistering solo from Broderick, fans of his shredding can rest assured that the guitarist has not held back — though that was not his initial intention. "I actually wanted to tone it down a bit technically in terms of my solos, but the opposite happened! This was because I inadvertently ended up creating a few new techniques to use in my trick bag and saw their potential, so I worked really hard on the execution so they could make the record." "Old Scars, New Wounds" track listing: 01. M.I.A. 02. Molten Core 03. Overexposure 04. The Talisman 05. Lullaby Of Vengeance 06. Circle Of Ashes 07. Reborn 08. Conspiracy Of The Gods 09. Another Killing Spree 10. Broken Dialect 11. Rise of Rebellion Going into writing the record, the quartet had no grand plan, and spread across the continental U.S., the individual members worked separately, bouncing demos back and forth and building on each others' ideas. Like many contemporary bands, through taking advantage of available technologies they made a record that is very much a collaborative effort, despite the distances lying between the members' home bases. Recruiting Otero, they tracked the record likewise, with Broderick laying down guitars in his own Ill-Fated Studios in L.A., Derek and Broderick's vocals tracked at Red Light Studios also in L.A., with Bachand tracking his contributions at Manshark in South Hampton, Massachusetts and Drover's drums were laid down at Atlanta's Glow In The Dark Studios. Having proven themselves on the road in support of "Birth And The Burial" both as headliners and supporting the likes of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, HELLYEAH and HATEBREED, the band is looking ahead to the expansive touring that will accompany "Old Scars, New Wounds", and their hunger to get back in front of crowds has not abated in the slightest.
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