DEFIANCE To Dedicate New Album To Late Guitarist

On March 3, DEFIANCE bass player Mike Kaufmann began recording bass tracks for the band's forthcoming album and first effort in over 13 years. The recording session comes more than three months after the loss of longtime guitar player Doug Harrington.

Commented Mike: "I knew it was my turn to start tracking and I think I needed time to reflect and think about the tragic loss of a dear friend, brother, and major contributor to DEFIANCE music. It took me a while before I could even start practicing the songs again but once I started, it wasn't long before I felt I was ready to get it done. Doug and I had several conversations about how he wanted me to play over certain guitar parts that he wrote and I kept that in mind throughout the entire session. It was almost surreal talking to him about the album and how he wanted it to sound and knowing that he wouldn't be around to hear the finished product.

"During the last two or three weeks of his life, we spent a lot of time talking about what he wanted and didn't want the album to sound like. One of his main concerns was that we stick to our roots and make sure this is a 'thrash metal' album.

"I think that we, as a band, feel that this will be our best recording ever and much of that has to do with Doug's contribution and hard work even though he knew the end was near. It's a given that this album will be entirely dedicated to Doug."

DEFIANCE's new CD is being recorded at Trident Studios in Concord, CA with producer Juan Urteaga (EXODUS, SKINLAB, VILE). Along with the new album, DEFIANCE is also working on putting together a DVD, tentatively titled "Decade(s) of Defiance", that will cronicle the band's entire career from 1985 to the present.

Part of the so-called "second wave" of Bay Area thrash (which also included the likes of FORBIDDEN, VIO-LENCE, DEATH ANGEL, and TESTAMENT),DEFIANCE officially disbanded in 1993 after the departure of vocalist Steev Esquivel (who would go on to form SKINLAB, and later RE:IGNITION),while the remaining members, with the addition of vocalist Dave Godfrey White (HEATHEN),formed INNER THRESHOLD, which would also eventually disband.

In 2005, rumors of a reformed DEFIANCE sent waves of interest through the burgeoning thrash metal community until it was finally confirmed that the band had in fact reunited and were at work on their first new material in over a decade.