Metal Band of the Week:

Mindset Defect

January 30, 2010 by Kyle Brady
Tags: Band, Metal, Mindset Defect, Music, Review
As required by the FTC, a Full Disclosure is available - this piece adheres to the Code of Ethics

---

Imagine August Burns Red, Threat Signal, Killswitch Engage, and All That Remains came together to form a gigantic supergroup of musicality, and that’s close to what Mindset Defect, a three-almost-four piece band from Nashville, TN, sounds like.

This metal, possibly metalcore, band uses the now-common singing+screaming combination, but not strictly within the typical formula, as the truly singing vocals also appear outside of the chorus, just as harsh vocals often provide background accompaniment to the singing itself.  What makes this band different from many of those within similar genres is their choice of tempo and technicality:  solos and intricate guitar work are constant throughout the songs, but guitar harmonies and galloping drums have substantial roles in both the verse and chorus, sometimes bringing to mind other bands of similar habits, such as Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, or, as the originators of this technique, Iron Maiden.

Even though the music of Mindset Defect is heavy, syncopated, and has great focus on highly proficient guitarwork, they choose to step once again outside the expectations of genre by preferring slower tempos than are typical, leading to more focused attention by listeners - who would likely expect a much more brutal rhythm.  Without such changes to the musical formulae, these southern rockers would not stand out as original or interesting, but, luckily for fans and listeners, they made the decision to choose creativity over copycat appeal.

Mindset Defect can be found on MySpace; their EP is available on Amazon.

"Metal Band of the Week" is a weekly series, published on weekends, showcasing metal bands that get less attention than they deserve.
Kyle can be found on Twitter and MySpace, or reached via email.