Defiance (metal band)

Defiance
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1985
Founder	Brad Bowers, Matt Vander Ende, Mike Kaufmann
Defunct	1995; 2012
Fate	Multiple disbandments and reunions
Headquarters	Oakland, United States
Products	Studio albums, demos, compilation albums
Number of employees	5 (current members)

Defiance is a thrash metal group originating from Oakland, California, known for their American roots. Initially, their style mirrored the technical thrash approach akin to Testament, but over time they developed a distinct, more progressive thrash identity. The band ceased activity in 1995, regrouped in 2005, and unveiled their fourth studio record The Prophecy in 2009. They disbanded once more in 2012 before coming back together in September 2019.

Formation and Early Years (1985–1988)

Defiance was established in 1985 by guitarist Brad Bowers alongside drummer Matt Vander Ende and bassist Mike Kaufmann. Doug Harrington joined soon after but departed due to disagreements with Bowers, leading to Jim Adams stepping in as his replacement. Subsequently, Harrington returned to replace Bowers. In 1987, Mitch Mayes became the band's vocalist.

With this lineup solidified, Defiance began gaining traction within the Bay Area’s thrash metal circuit. Their initial demo emerged in 1987. After Mayes exited, Ken Elkington took over vocal duties, and under his frontmanship, they released the Hypothermia demo in 1988. This demo caught the attention of independent metal label Roadracer Records, resulting in a contract that same year. At Roadracer’s behest, they recorded their debut album in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, collaborating with Annihilator guitarist Jeff Waters.

Product of Society and Void Terra Firma Era (1989–1990)

Their first album, Product of Society, was launched in 1989. The band expressed dissatisfaction with Waters’ production work, criticizing the thin guitar sound and unprofessional conduct. Nevertheless, the release garnered attention within thrash circles but was frequently dismissed as a Testament clone. Following several shows in the Bay Area, Elkington was removed due to lack of dedication and replaced by former Laughing Dead vocalist Steev Esquivel, who completed touring for the album.

With Esquivel on vocals, Defiance issued their sophomore album Void Terra Firma in 1990. Produced by John Cuniberti, renowned for his work on Joe Satriani’s Surfing With the Alien, the production quality improved though it still had imperfections. The band’s sound evolved to incorporate more progressive elements while retaining its Bay Area thrash foundation; Esquivel’s vocal style drew comparisons to Chuck Billy of Testament. This release represented their peak commercial achievement and included a well-received metal rendition of Iron Maiden’s "Killers". To promote the album, they toured alongside Vio-lence.

Beyond Recognition Phase (1991–1992)

In 1991, Defiance commenced work on their third album with producer Rob Beaton; however, Steev Esquivel temporarily left due to substance abuse issues. The band briefly enlisted former Militia vocalist Matt Ulrickson but dismissed him after finding him unsuitable. Esquivel returned soberly, which delayed the album’s completion.

Released in 1992, Beyond Recognition marked a stylistic shift toward intricate compositions featuring unconventional time signatures and jazz fusion influences while maintaining thrash metal foundations. Enhanced production values led many fans to regard it as Defiance’s finest effort. Despite critical praise, the album underperformed commercially in the U.S., hindered by Roadracer’s insufficient support and changing musical trends; however, sales remained robust in Europe and Japan. During this period, Greg Burnham from FTC Entertainment Group managed the band.

The waning backing from Roadracer became apparent when Defiance was denied a European tour with Sepultura, despite having a strong following there. After their tentative single "Inside Looking Out"—which featured David White of Heathen—was blocked from release, Jim Adams and Matt Vander Ende departed. Their spots were filled by Brian Wenzel and Mike Bennet respectively. Vander Ende briefly joined Laaz Rocket before relocating to New York in 2004 to play drums for the Broadway production Wicked. Adams soon rejoined; Bennet was replaced by Tyson Leeper. A brief U.S. tour followed during which Leeper was succeeded by Paul Palmer.

Lineup changes, disbandment, and subsequent developments (1993–2004)

In 1993, Esquivel exited the band once more, with vocalist David White stepping in as his replacement. That same year, Defiance, featuring White alongside Palmer, recorded fresh tracks such as "Safe," "Don't Play God," and "Wasting Creation," under the production of Rob Beaton. They appeared at various live events, including a co-headlining festival in Santa Barbara during spring 1994. Unfortunately, Palmer sustained a serious ankle injury just before the performance, which required surgical intervention and ultimately led to his retirement from the group.

By approximately 1995, Defiance had disbanded. Members White, Harrington, Adams, Kaufmann, and a newly recruited drummer formed the groove metal outfit Inner Threshold, which eventually transitioned into the band Under. Meanwhile, Esquivel achieved recognition in the late 1990s with the groove metal band Skinlab, producing three albums before their split in 2003; since 2007, they have reunited sporadically.

Reformation and subsequent dissolution (2005–2012)

Defiance reassembled in 2005 with Esquivel returning alongside Harrington, Adams, Kaufmann, and new drummer James Raymond, signing a deal with Metal Mind Productions. Metal Mind re-released the band's initial three albums as part of the Insomnia box set in 2006. Raymond was eventually succeeded by Mark Hernandez, formerly of Vio-lence.

In November 2006, guitarist Doug Harrington passed away from cancer, yet the band persisted in completing an album that featured his last guitar contributions. This record maintained their thrash metal foundation while incorporating progressive influences similar to those on Beyond Recognition. A new track titled "The Voice" was unveiled with Esquivel on vocals, Adams on guitar, Kaufmann on bass, and Hernandez on drums.

By late 2008, Defiance secured a contract with Candlelight Records to release The Prophecy, which was finalized by mid-2009 and officially released on October 19, 2009. Following this release, Esquivel departed once again, explaining that his involvement was primarily to fulfill Harrington’s wishes. Keven Albert took over vocal duties while Shawn Bozarth joined as guitarist. After auditioning several drummers, Burton Ortega (formerly of KAOS) was brought on board to support The Prophecy.

Second reunion phase (2019–present)

On September 26, 2019, Defiance announced plans to reunite for an April 2020 performance at Milwaukee's Blades of Steel Metal festival; however, the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the band has mainly played shows throughout Northern California and opened for D.R.I. in late 2023. They are also scheduled to join Tankard, Accu§er, and Shaark on the Clash of Thrash Tour across Europe in 2025.

Coinciding with this reunion period, Vic Records released Checkmate: The Demo Collection on November 27, 2020—a two-disc compilation featuring Defiance’s demos spanning from 1986 to 1994. Additionally, the band is currently developing a new studio album.

Current members

Steev Esquivel – lead vocals (1989–1993, 2005–2009, 2019–present)
Jim Adams – guitar (1986–1995, 2005–2012, 2019–present)
Billy Garoutte – guitar (2019–present)
Mike Kaufmann – bass guitar (1985–1995, 2005–2012, 2019–present)
Matt Vander Ende – drums (1985–1993, 2019–present)

Vocals

Mitch Mayes (1985–1988)
Ken Elkington (1988–1989)
David White (1993–1995)
Keven Gorski (2010–2012)

Guitars

Brad Bowers (1985–1986)
Doug Harrington (1985–1995, 2005–2006; deceased 2006)
Shawn Bozarth (2010–2012)
Brian (Gwamba) Wenzel (1993–1994)

Drums

Paul Palmer (1993–1995)
James Raymond (2005–2006)
Mark Hernandez (2006–2009)
Burton Ortega (2010–2012)

Studio albums

Demos

Demo 1987 (1987)
Hypothermia (1988)
Wasting Creation (1994)

Compilation albums

Insomnia (2007)
Checkmate: The Demo Collection (2020)

External links