Album Review: Defects – Artificial Icons (Mascot Records)

‘Artificial Icons’ is the brand-new album from the UK metalcore/alternative metal band, Defects. Out October 16th, 2026, via Mascot Records.

I’m not sure it can get any more profound and powerful as it got on 2024’s Modern Error, and Defects would be foolish to even try and recapture that. Instead, they’ve gone the evolutionary route, taking what they learned from that brilliant album, expanding on the darker, heavier, and emotive elements, infusing even more melodic harmony within, and showcasing a technical freshness that makes it a more obvious successor.

The result? A hugely addictive album that encapsulates the incredible journey that this band has been on, in particular, vocalist Tony Maue. A hugely addictive album that will draw in even more listeners, and a hugely addictive album that will stand the test of time.

Anthems. I think it has more anthems than any other Defects release with the first four tracks, all that come before the Interlude, delivering the goods in different ways. We have the title track which sees Defects explode out of the starting blocks with vicious heaviness, while delivering a potent singalong chorus. Then there is Heresy and Where Did I Go Wrong. Two tracks with plenty of bounce, plenty of head banging vibes, and plenty of emphatic melodrama.

However, Signs might be the meatiest of the bunch, partially because it features Trivium’s Matthew K. Heafy, and partially because, outside of the chorus (which soars nicely), it is freaking wild. I really like the ending to this track too.

The Interlude is so much more than the title suggests, and Tony pushes his vocals to impressive heights. The emotion as he sings ‘but there is no escape’ is quite something.

It will likely take most listeners a moment to readjust the mind after that one, but Defects don’t really allow it as a crunching instrumental section and roaring vocals arrive in style on the mean sounding Critic. A short and sharp slap to the back of the head. Contrasted by the following State of Mind, a gloomier and more melodramatic track with a softer sounding guitar solo.

It’s back to sounding bloody hard and heavy with the head banger that is Hollow, before The Other Side hits a gloriously epic sounding high, and All for Nothing keeps things assuredly intense as things come to an end. Although we’re not quite there yet as Afterglow is perfectly positioned as the finale, closing one chapter, while opening another. Defects aren’t living in the past, striding forward with newfound confidence, and all the proof of this exciting future comes from this album.

Defects – Artificial Icons Track listing:

1. Artificial Icons
2. Heresy
3. Where Did I Go Wrong
4. Signs (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
5. Interlude
6. Critic
7. State of Mind
8. Hollow
9. The Other Side
10. All For Nothing
11. Afterglow

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