Full Stream: Critical Defiance – ‘The Search Won’t Fall…’

Critical Defiance

Since debuting in the thrash metal arena with Misconception in 2019 and following up with No Life Forms in 2022, Critical Defiance has kept a release pace as relentless as their tempos.

Navigating lineup changes with remarkable agility—notably with Mauricio Toledo joining on guitar during No Life Forms— the Chilean upstarts are turning instability into a net positive as they pool influences, building eerie melancholy and a shade of melodrama upon their established thrash foundation on The Search Won’t Fall…, out Friday.

Their latest release continues to highlight technical skill and speed but also showcases the band’s ability to craft melodies—a trait not often emphasized in post-1990 thrash metal.

Epitomized by haunting … And Justice for All-style nylon string work in the title track and punctuated by songs such as “The Blind Design” and the evocative “Margarita,” anyone craving an update on the vibe of mid-late eighties Metallica with a lot of room to grow is going to be thrilled.

Be among the first to dive into The Search Won’t Fall… right here, right now, right below.

Preorder the digital version and the CD version via Unspeakable Axe. And get the vinyl via Dying Victims Productions.