Label: SG-records
Release Date: Out Now!
Genre: Sleaze / Hard Rock
Links: https://www.facebook.com/confessofsweden
Line Up:
John Elliot-Vox
Samael-Drums
Lucky-Bass
Denver-Guitar
Blomman- Guitar
TRACKLIST:
Pray for the Prey
Relationshit
Scream
Pay Before I Go
Take Aim
Bloodstained Highway
Setting Sails
Back to Hell
Got Lucky
Cardiac Arrest
Get Me Down
Intervention (Sin & Tonic, Pt. 2)
What’s Love Got to Do with It
Another month and another retro / glam release from the Nordics. It’s getting pretty crowded in this space at the moment so Confess with their debut album ‘Jail’ need to have something pretty special to stand out from the crowd.
Formed in Sweden in 2008, the band managed a demo release in 2010 to very positive reviews on the back of which US label ‘Sliptrick Records’ signed them. ‘The Gin Act’ E.P. came out in 2012. European shows garnered good reviews from the press and the band began to work on ‘Jail’, finding time to also record two promo videos ‘RELATIONSHIT’ and ‘SCREAM’. A new deal with the Italian label SG-records followed and now we get ‘Jail’ in full.
Opener ‘Pray for the Prey’ gives us a 30 second soundbite of the sirens and wails of the police vehicles presumably on the way to pick up the band prior to their cover shot photo of a line-up being taken.
‘Relationshit’ starts the album proper and would not be out of place on any Crashdiet release. Typical high pitched sleazy vocals abound with some great wails at the top end of his range from lead singer John Elliot. ‘Scream’ follows and contains some fantastic harmonies on the chorus, underpinned again by a snarling lyrical assault from Elliot. Still very much in the vein of Dave Lepard era Crashdiet, the song ‘Scream’ was the obvious choice to release as a single as it definitely showcases the band and leaves the listener in no doubt as to the genre that they fit so well into.
‘Pay Before I Go’ continues the approach and it’s very difficult to not want to turn this album up to 11 as the listener can pick out solid bass and rhythm work, harmonica, crunchy and frantic guitar work all of which sounds fantastic when played loud. At this point, only four tracks in, the quality of the songs on offer so far make this an essential purchase. If the live shows are half as energetic as the playing on this track then audiences are in for a real treat.
Three balls out rockers down and of course we must now consider the ‘ballad’. ‘Take Aim’ even has some keyboards in there as well and the usual low key intro gently leads us into the song before the band recognise that what they do best is to ramp it up a bit and then proceed to pretty much kick the ballad concept into touch with a song so full of emotion that Elliot can be pictured kneeling down, fists clenched to his chest crying out to the heavens. They bring it all back to earth again at the end with some melancholy acoustic guitar work to fade out the five minute plus epic.
‘Bloodstained Highway’ immediately moves back to pure hard rock and will also translate very, very well to the live arena. A brief moment of Def Leppard opens ‘Setting Sails’ before the band again settle back to the sound that has permeated the album so far. ‘Back to Hell’ has a gritty, dirty bassline and riff to drive it from the off and really just confirms that so far there is no filler on the album at all. The solos and hooks from ‘Denver’ and ‘Blomman’ on guitar fit perfectly, never indulge at the expense of the tracks and allow the rest of the band space to excel in their own area as well.
A slab of Motley Crue comes through loud and clear on ‘Got Lucky’ and Elliot’s vocals even resemble Vince’s at this point. Maybe a future replacement for Crue given Vince’s voice is pretty much shot these days!!
Clocking in at nearly 8 minutes, ‘Intervention Sin & Tonic Pt 2’ sees the band show a serious amount of maturity for a group of musicians on their proper debut. It’s a well crafted song that ebbs and flows and evokes thoughts of similarities with ‘Lillian Axe’ in their prime. The piano break at the mid-point which pauses before launching into an almost power metal finale makes the song unique and well worth repeated listens.
So, an album that is indeed all killer and no filler (even the cover of ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ as album closer is great fun). Pounding beats, great guitar riffs and solos, solid vocals with great range from Elliot supported by the band with chant along harmonies on the choruses.
Go out and buy this today.
Written by Adrian
Ratings Adrian 10/10
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