#skinlab

Defiance: Void Terra Firma (1990)

One of my favorite, underrated, latter-day thrash metal LPs, Void Terra Firma was the second album from Oakland, CA’s Defiance (following ‘89’s pretty decent Product of Society), and their first with new singer Steev Esquivel, subsequently of groove metal band Skinlab.

It was also a quintessential example of second-wave Bay Area thrash during its sometimes awkward (and ultimately failed) transition from the ‘80s to the ‘90s: more technically accomplished than necessarily song-oriented, and characterized by a thicker, crunchier guitar sound betraying the concurrent, on-the-rise death metal aesthetic. 

In other words, Defiance weren’t taking the genre into new commercial realms like Metallica and Megadeth, nor were they testing new extremities like Voivod or Coroner, but, for those of us who still loved thrash no mater what, this album checked our favorite boxes more capably than most, at that time. 

Led by Doug Harrington and Jim Adams’ phenomenal lead/rhythm guitar work, standouts like the title track, the blistering “Skitz-Illusions,” and “Last Resort (Welcome to Poverty)” out-shredded even worthy contemporaries like Death Angel, Forbidden, and certainly Vio-lence. 

And, no offense to former frontman Ken Elkington, but newcomer Esquivel was an obvious upgrade, rising to the challenge of his cohorts’ instrumental prowess with solid political/cerebral lyrics and a powerful, half-harsh, half-melodic vocal style that sounded like the second coming of Testament’s Chuck Billy.

Other impressive offerings like “Deception of Faith” and the acoustic intro’ed “Questions” are unfortunately offset by late-album filler such as “Steamroller” and “Checkmate,” but the guitarists’ telepathic interaction never cease to amaze, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t praise the incredible Mike Kaufmann (bass) and Matt Vander Ende (drums) rhythm section.

Finally, there’s an entertainingly thrashed-over cover of Iron Maiden’s “Killers” that, alongside Forbidden’s recent live recording of Judas Priests “Victim of Changes,” suggested these late-coming Bay Area thrash bands were nervously seeking comfort and validation in the works of heavy metal’s elder statesmen.

In any case, Defiance’s sophomore album barely registered with fans beyond the innermost thrash circles (which were getting more “innermost” with each passing ‘90s minute), and the group gave up defying (get it?) the inevitable after their third and final LP (inevitable 21st Century reunion notwithstanding), ‘92’s Beyond Recognition.

p.s. -- A few of these words and opinions were adapted and updated based on my All-Music Guide review of Defiance’s Void Terra Firma.

Kerrang! magazine / February 27, 1999

Steev Esquivel of Skinlab