Song of the Day: Annabel – ‘Defense Mechanism’

In the decade Annabel has been away, the world has certainly changed. Nevertheless, their upcoming return allows the Ohio indie-emo outfit to share their ‘Worldviews’. The first track to be released off the album is ‘Defense Mechanism’. Led by brothers Ben and Andy Hendricks, Annabel‘s return sees the quintet reinvigorated, showcasing a jangly and energetic piece of emo rock.

‘Defense Mechanism’s defiant tone is super-charged with a sense of acceptability taking account of who you are and what you’re doing. For vocalist Ben Hendricks, the road to Annabel‘s return has been a long one. As explained in a recent social media post, Hendricks said the band never split or went on hiatus, it was his undiagnosed declining mental health that brought Annabel to a halt.

“There was a point where I wasn’t sure there would be another Annabel record. I didn’t really have a lot of interest in writing songs (or being a front person) for about a 4-5 year period,” Ben explains. “It was strange for someone who spent their entire life previously devoted to music and songwriting. I didn’t realize this was depression until a sleep specialist recommended some meds to me. It was kind of amazing how I instantly felt like writing songs again. Depression isn’t sadness, it’s the inability to find joy in the things you used to.”

Fast forward to the present day, and Ben and the rest of Annabel have rediscovered the joy of making music, ultimately leading to the creation of ‘Worldviews’. “I’ve realized I need this band to feel like myself. I need to just make music with my brother. And frankly, there doesn’t need to be a reason. You can simply do something because you have a desire to create and put stuff out into the world with the people you care about.”

1. Another World
2. All Time
3. Worldviews
4. We Are Where We Are
5. Medicine
6. Every Home Needs A Ghost
7. Before Too Long
8. Dog
9. Small Victories
10. Defense Mechanism
11. Hopium
12. The Afterworld

Pre-Order/Pre-Save here.