DEFIANT GROUND - HAVE HOPE EP Seven Tracks of Pure Fucking Defiance as reviewed by Mark Jenkins.
DEFIANT GROUND - HAVE HOPE EP
Seven Tracks of Pure Fucking Defiance
Forget everything you think you know about hope. This ain't some feel-good bullshit wrapped in acoustic guitars and sunshine—this is hope with broken knuckles, hope screaming through busted teeth, hope that's been dragged through the gutter and came back swinging harder. Defiant Ground just dropped Have Hope, and it's the sound of a scene refusing to die.
These seven tracks don't just play—they detonate. From the opening salvo to the final breakdown, this EP is a masterclass in controlled chaos, where every riff cuts like broken glass and every beat hits like a police baton to the ribs. This is melodic hardcore for the dispossessed, the forgotten, the kids who never had a goddamn chance but are too stubborn to quit.
THE BREAKDOWN:
The opener comes out like a rabid dog off its leash—all teeth and fury. Vocalist Ben sounds like he's been gargling gravel and battery acid, spitting venom with the kind of conviction that makes you believe every word. The guitars don't just play riffs; they wage war against silence itself. When that chorus hits, it's not just a hook—it's a fucking battle cry that'll have basements full of sweaty kids losing their minds.
Track two brings the emotional weight with the kind of melodic aggression that Comeback Kid and Have Heart perfected. The rhythm section locks into that perfect pocket between crushing and catchy, while the drummer delivers precision strikes that hit right in the chest. There's something beautifully desperate about how the melodic hardcore influences shine through—like Verse channelling Modern Life Is War's urgency with the kind of production that lets every guitar line breathe.
The title track is where this EP bares its soul. Beneath the crushing weight and scathing vocals that could raise the dead, there's something genuinely transcendent happening. This isn't just another hardcore anthem—it's a fucking hymn for the damned. When those guitars interweave with Ben's vocal delivery, it creates something cinematic, like watching hope claw its way out of its own grave.
The mid-EP shift drops into classic emotive hardcore territory, all deliberate pacing and heartfelt melody that lets every chord ring with genuine emotion. They pull back the aggression just enough to let the sincerity breathe, channelling that timeless melodic hardcore approach that hits you right in the chest. The reflective lyrical content cuts deep here, taking aim at the system while never losing sight of the human cost. It's emotive without being overwrought—a neat trick that separates the posers from the real deal.
The closer brings the aggression back but with a more controlled burn—tough and uncompromising without going full berserker mode. This is the kind of track that gets crowds moving without turning the pit into a straight-up brawl. The breakdown hits hard but smart, designed to unite rather than divide. It's a solid finish that leaves you wanting more without completely destroying your speakers.
THE VERDICT:
Have Hope isn't just another EP—it's a manifesto carved in distortion and delivered at maximum volume. Defiant Ground understands something that too many bands forget: hardcore isn't just about being heavy, it's about meaning something. Every riff, every scream, every breakdown serves the greater purpose of keeping the underground alive and kicking.
This is music for the lifers, the true believers, the kids who show up to basement shows on Tuesday nights because the scene means everything to them. It's for anyone who's ever felt the world trying to grind them down and decided to fight back with everything they've got.
In a world that seems designed to crush hope, Defiant Ground reminds us that sometimes the most radical act is refusing to give up. Have Hope is proof that the underground is alive, angry, and absolutely fucking necessary.
Essential for: fans of Comeback Kid, Have Heart, Verse, Modern Life Is War, Misery Signals, and anyone who believes music should move both your body and your conscience.
Spin this loud, spin this proud, and remember—hope isn't passive. It's a choice you make every goddamn day.
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