Defects Unleash Raw Fury On New Single "Artificial Icons"

Defects reveal their brand-new single "Artificial Icons," which boils over with rage on a world run by control and lies, and announce changes within the band.

Watch the lyric video for "Artificial Icons" below.

Following on from themes touched upon on their debut album, "Artificial Icons" tackles wider socio-political issues. It's about zooming out on the world, noticing manipulation, and refusing to stand by.

It's a volatile mix of crushing riffs, thunderous breakdowns, and soaring choruses, surging between savage screams and anthemic vocals, pushing and pulling between chaos and clarity. The lyrics scream, "Oppress and pretend that this is all to protect, build back better, what the fuck do you mean, you wanna start a revolution that we don't even see."​

The song holds particular clarity in the world's political climate of 2026. Singer Tony Maue says, "Look around. I wanted to write a song that pushes you to think outside the box. I was faced with religious teachings when I was younger. I felt fear, I felt rage, and I wanted to fight back. Believe in what you choose, not in what others force on you for their own agendas, profit or control."

"Artificial Icons" follows their previous new single, "Heresy" — a brutal confrontation with blind faith and false hope. This is their first new music since the release of 2024's "Modern Error."

When their debut album was released, it connected with metal fans around the globe. Momentum surged as they hit the road hard, sweeping across Europe with Trivium, Northlane, Of Mice and Men, Orbit Culture, and Funeral for a Friend. Their festival checklist was a monster exercise: Download (UK), Slam Dunk (UK), Mystic Festival (Poland), Rock Im Park/Rock Am Ring (Germany), Impericon Festival (Germany), Rockharz (Germany), Summer Breeze Open Air (Germany), Rock for the People (Czech Republic), Jera On Air (The Netherlands), Graspop (Belgium), and Parkpop (Belgium).

In late summer 2025, they reached a fork in the road. Harry Jennings (Drums), Luke Genders (Guitar), and David Silver (Bass) chose to step back and focus on new life chapters. Together with Maue, they co-wrote new music as a parting gift and legacy, leaving their mark as they departed.​

Maue and guitarist James Threadwell continue the band. "It was incredibly tough. They're my friends. I love those guys to pieces. When we wrote together, there was a real bond," Maue says, before adding, "There were moments when I didn't know how to piece this together to walk forward."

While this moment is bittersweet, they're stepping into a new era with a new lineup: Tony Maue (vocals), James Threadwell (guitar), Taylor Brown (guitar), and Rowan Jack (frums), bringing a renewed focus and the same fire that has always driven them forward.

"Artificial Icons" will continue to light the path. "I can't give up. I've given up before. I know what that looks like, and I'm not doing that again," says Maue.

NYC BAND VRSTY SHARE "MASSIVE" VIDEO

Music video by VRSTY performing Massive. A Spinefarm Records Recording; © 2020 Universal Music Operations Limitedhttp://vevo.ly/h7tnHN

CLOUD CITY EP OUT NOW

New York City-based collective VRSTY (pronounced "Varsity") — Joey Varela [vocals], Javy Dorrejo [bass], Chris Cody [drums], and Paul Gregory [guitar] — released the Cloud City EP via Spinefarm Records on December 4.

The band has just dropped the video for the new track "Massive." Watch it HERE.

"The 'Massive' music video is perfect for what the song is actually trying to say," says Varela. "It's us in a dark room, performing, loving what we do, and having fun as it's always been. Just us."

Varela previously shared the song's inspiration, saying, "'Massive' is literally all of my frustrations coming to the surface. It's years of doing favors and helping other's elevate their careers — only to be told I'm just a copy of 'insert whatever vocalist here' or to be called a background player. Not this time. I remember writing 'Massive,' and the only thought in my head was, 'They don’t take you seriously — but they'll wish they did.'"

The song is currently the most played track at SiriusXM's Octane for the second week in a row.

VRSTY's music unexpectedly blends metallic grooves and R&B vocal swagger. The band has been grinding in the scene for over five years now, releasing the Lights EP in 2015 and heading on tour to earn their road stripes. They dropped Blck and Blck Deluxe in 2019, with "YOU & I" (over 412k Spotify streams), "Colorblind" (over 310k Spotify streams), and "Nola" (over 278k Spotify streams) quickly establishing themselves as indie fan favorites. The band has tallied over 2 million total streams and looks to open things up even more with the Cloud City EP, which serves as its Spinefarm Records debut.

NYC BAND VRSTY SHARE NEW SONG "MASSIVE"

CLOUD CITY EP OUT DECEMBER 4

New York City-based collective VRSTY (pronounced "Varsity") — Joey Varela [vocals], Javy Dorrejo [bass], Chris Cody [drums], and Paul Gregory [guitar] — will release the Cloud City EP via Spinefarm Records on December 4. The band has just dropped the new track "Massive." Listen HERE.

The song is currently in SiriusXM Octane's Test Drive program.

"'Massive' is literally all of my frustrations coming to the surface," Varela says of the song's powerful source of inspiration. "It's years of doing favors and helping other's elevate their careers — only to be told I'm just a copy of 'insert whatever vocalist here' or to be called a background player. Not this time. I remember writing 'Massive,' and the only thought in my head was, 'They don’t take you seriously — but they'll wish they did.'"

VRSTY's music unexpectedly blends metallic grooves and R&B vocal swagger. The band has been grinding in the scene for over five years now, releasing the Lights EP in 2015 and heading on tour to earn their road stripes. They dropped Blck and Blck Deluxe in 2019, with "YOU & I" (412K Spotify streams), "Colorblind" (311K Spotify streams), and "Nola" (278K Spotify streams) quickly establishing themselves as indie fan favorites. The band has tallied over 2 million total streams and looks to open things up even more with the Cloud City EP, which serves as its Spinefarm Records debut.