Defeater and This Is Hell

Defeater formed in 2004, settling on the lineup of Derek Archambault (vocals), Jay Maas (guitars), Jake Woodruff (guitars), Mike Poulin (bass) and Joe Longobardi (drums) after several years of changing musicians. Their 2008 full-length debut, "Travels" was initially released on Topshelf Records, yet soon gained the attention of larger label, Bridge 9 Records, who re-released the album shortly after.

Their debut was followed by the EP, "Lost Ground," which acted as an interlude before their second full-length, "Empty Days & Sleepless Nights" in 2011. With the release of "Letters Home" in July 2013, Defeater broke into the mainstream charts, peaking at number 72 in the Billboard Top 200. Growing into one of the hottest names in hardcore, the band have toured alongside the likes of Comeback Kid, Bane, La Dispute and August Burns Red. They have also made several festival appearances, including Hevy Music Festival and Vans' Warped Tour in 2013.

Throughout their releases, Defeater have maintained a constant theme of subject matter, acting as a narration of the story of a struggling working class New Jersey family, trying to get by in Post-World War II America. "Travels" worked to establish the characters of the story, detailing the difficulties of family life faced, tales of poverty, alcoholism and violence. In "Lost Ground," the six-track EP evokes the tale of a 'prophet,' who prompts the protagonist to return home to face his problems, using the prophet's life as a metaphor. Their second album documented the return of the protagonist and the fallout thereafter. Whereas "Letters Home" tells the story of the absent father, as he writes to his family.

Maintaining this story throughout their concept albums helps Defeater stand out from the rest of the hardcore scene, providing a narrative in their work rarely seen from other acts. Musically, the band take influence from classic hardcore bands like Minor Threat and Modern Life is War, as well as more contemporary sounds of Both and Deadguy.