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Confess: Burn 'Em All

Melodic Heavy Metal Rock

4.5/5.0

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Street Symphonies Records/Burning Minds Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 19.02.2020 | Released: 28.02.2020

My first and last experience with Sweden's Confess was 2014's Jail, a solid album from New Wave of Scandinavian Sleaze Metal wave, which began at the turn of the 21st century. Three years later, they dropped Haunters, which found the band leaping to the mighty Nuclear Blast record label. I missed that one. Now, after another three years, Confess returns with a new long-player, Burn 'Em All, apparently with some personnel changes in the guitar and bass positions.

Confess

What has not changed is Confess' penchant for delivering ambitious, rowdy, and entertaining melodic heavy metal rock with swagger from the Sunset Strip sleaze tradition. You can expect the usual musical suspects: twin guitars for harmony and burning solos, plenty of rock gallop and groove from the rhythm section, and John Elliot's edgy, sometimes punchy punk, vocal style. All these things are wrapped in essential rock harmony, melody, and groove with catchy refrains, which gives Confess some degree of AOR accessibility.

Moving to a selection of songs, you can expect some galloping metal rockers with Malleus, Burn 'Em All, and So What with it's thumping drum start. Confess kicks things into fifth gear with the faster-paced riff and punkish rocker 509. Alternatively, something like A Beautiful Mind turns more upon thick riffs and a heavier bottom end while still offering some speed. Not exactly a ballad, but Is It Love is a bit milder than the rest of the album. The riffs and vocals are harmonious, the groove steady, and the song rises to a roaring, yet melodic, guitar solo. All in all, Confess's Burn 'Em All is simply another fine and entertaining album of their signature melodic metal rock in the grand sleaze tradition. Easily recommended.

Re-Machined: Wheels Of Time

Traditional Heavy Metal

3.5/5.0

Rising from Germany, Re-Machined is a new metal band formed by five seasoned and experienced musicians from Rhein-Main in 2017. In the following year they ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Confess's Burn 'Em All is simply another fine and entertaining album of their signature melodic metal rock in the grand sleaze tradition. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

We have to dig deep, three decades, to find the origins of Atlantic, a project of songwriter, musician, and producer Simon Harrison (then Stranger, Wisht). Initially thought to be a one-off recording, Harrison ... [ Read More ]