The Raging Nathans

Oppositional Defiance (2020)

Maximillian Power

Oppositional Defiance is a melody filled midwestern punk rock record that features melodic choruses, and engaging guitar. The album flows nicely as a whole with the band moving between melodic anthems such as “Signals” and “Where Ya Been?”, and heavier more hardcore influenced tracks including “Parole Violation” and “Old Blood”. The variety within the track listening works nicely and feels a bit like classic Propagandhi.

The production value of Oppositional Defiance is solid for the genre, but on the raw/low-fi end of the spectrum. The drums and guitar have a muted feel that at times hampers the brightness of the guitar leads. While I think the overall product could potentially be improved with a bit more clarity, the unpolished quality does contribute to the nostalgic feel of the band’s influences. The upshot here being that the song writing, and hooks make up for whatever may be lost in the production.

The band has done a good job of blending together elements of both contemporary and classic pop-punk influences that is unlikely to alienate fans on either end of the pop-punk spectrum. This record could be immediately engaging to fans of Dillinger Four and Descendents, to bands like Alkaline Trio and The Wonder Years.

Oppositional Defiance is a catchy and enjoyable album from start to finish. The songs are unique and memorable with little filler to be found. The lyrical content is both thoughtful and meaningful regardless of the melodic bounce in the music, which is another great aspect of this release. I look forward to being able to get The Raging Nathans live experience in the future, but for now - Oppositional Defiance helps.