review by: Roberto Martinelli

With the release of In Defiance of Existence, Old Man's Child does little to shake the notion if its being Dimmu Borgir's cousin. This is not only in terms of its style, but also in that two people from Dimmu, Nick Barker and Galder (who is the founder of Old Man's Child) are on this album. However, while there isn't all that much to take note of in terms of originality, this new record is an excellently crafted one, albeit in a cookie-cutter style laid out by a more prolific band.

If you liked Dimmu's last album, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, at all, you'll really go for this, especially if you think that there aren't enough fast parts. In Defiance of Existence maintains an engaging and speedy pace throughout. There are lots of cool riffs that blend the Dimmu style, but also throw in a new Immortal flair. Barker's remarkable, trademark playing is the perfect fit for Galder's compositions. In Defiance of Existence only features harsh vocals that aren't outstanding but fit it well. Besides, your attention will be too busy taking in all the guitars, drums, keys and moods. While this isn't exactly the truest of black metal, and certainly not the most original, I can't deny that this is a high quality, enjoyable record, and without a doubt the best Old Man's Child record I can think of.