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I first came across Confessions of a Traitor when I moved to Surrey a year ago; a friend pointed me in their direction after I expressed that I was eager to find some local bands to see live. I was immediately impressed with what I heard; finding them to be like Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God but not so similar that they did not have their own sound. They are comprised of Stephen MacConville on vocals, Jack Darnell on guitar, Chris Wallace on guitar and vocals, Tony Nagle on bass, and Jay Ellis on drums. I have been lucky enough to see them live a few times since moving up here and, I can honestly say, they are not gigs to be forgotten. This is not just because of Stephen’s propensity for being told off for climbing on anything he can reach, but also because the band exudes energy and the crowd reacts appropriately.
The problem with a band that play so well live is that, sometimes, they struggle to maintain such energy on recordings. Upon hearing Seasons, the band’s six-track ep (recorded at Avenue Studios by Daniel Kerr), I have come to the conclusion that Confessions of a Traitor do not find themselves in this predicament as the ep is every bit as engaging as their live performances. Here is a breakdown of what I thought.
The ep begins with Scavengers, which opens with a steady section containing only vocals and guitar before tearing itself into a fever of powerful riffs and drumming. This track is absolutely unrelenting and, as I have witnessed, responsible for many-a-mosh pit. If there’s one thing these guys love, it’s breakdowns which is perfectly exhibited at 1:55 where the previous rhythms melt away to a slice of brutality, momentarily, before returning back to the formerly established riffs and rhythms. This is again the case at 3:06 where the track becomes raw, unforgiving, savagery.
This is followed by Cause and Effect which begins with Stephen’s and Chris’ barbaric vocals which give way to some mighty drumming from Jay. This track is great for engagement as it offers a chance for the audience to chant with the band. I always think moments like this are important when seeing a live band (if you don’t engage with your audience, why should they see you live after all?). That said, it reflects the feeling that you could stomp into any situation to this song and feel prepared. The solid beat provided within this song helps maintain the dynamic energy provided and the repetition of the phrase “we must repent” at the end continues this, whilst adding an, almost, creepy vibe.
The Wolf and The Pack is the song which follows. It starts with drumming that sounds off in the distance, but that is getting closer, but is joined promptly by guitars, bass and vocals. This track is more forgiving than Cause and Effect but that is not to the ep’s detriment; to the contrary, it provides a nice change in pace without losing the feeling the previous two songs have built. There is, of course, a couple of scintillating breakdowns before the track slows down to just guitars and vocals. This is oddly beautiful in comparison to the rest of the song and undermines any predictability that may have been assumed by the lister. This re-opens into an epic conclusion for the song which cements into place, certainly for me, that there is no weak link in Confessions of a Traitor. The track ends on a more relaxed note than the previous numbers.
This relaxation is short lived with the arrival of Sweat and Blood. This is the first song I heard by, and the first impression I had of, Confessions. The introduction of this song is a build up into an explosion of ruthless hardcore at it’s finest. Perhaps it’s because this is the first song I heard by them but this is my favourite of the six songs on Seasons. It’s impossible for me to listen to it and sit still. There is an electronic element to the song on the recording which I think compliments the sound the boys have strived to create for themselves. I find this track is the perfect example of what i mean when I say that the energy Confessions of a Traitor radiate live is not lost in their recordings.
Track number five, The Blinded, has no soft lead in. You, as the listener, are thrown immediately into a midst of incredibly quick riffs, mighty bass, hard-hitting drums, and sickening vocals. This high-speed culmination of talent is a crowd pleaser and, I love the fact that Tony’s bass playing is perfectly audible above all else for moments in this song. There are pace changes throughout, changing between the fun chorus to the robust breakdown. This song showcases Stephen’s vocal range the best of all six on Seasons.
The final track, Where Horizons Meet, is a stark contrast to The Blinded. It begins with slow and soft guitars that strip back the energy that has been built by the previous five tracks. This is something completely different, reminding me slightly of In a House, In a Heartbeat by John Murphy (28 Days Later). As the calm melts away to the vigorous section that falls into place at 1:22 but the feeling of melancholy the introduction has instilled on the listener is not lost. The whole track feels like a fight between the most melancholic feeling you could experience and the sense of optimism in the face of defeat that hardcore creates so well. This is extremely well combined and creates the perfect track to end Seasons on. It is haunting and it says to me that no one should be quick to pigeonhole Confessions into a specific genre.
Overall this ep is a favourite for me and I strongly recommend this to anyone who likes hardcore metal. I also recommend seeing them live which I will be doing again in december when they support Malefice in Kingston (happy birthday to me).
Review by Eileen Bate
Seasons is available HERE.
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