“Why am I still living like the ghost of somebody else?”
Since their inception in 2012, Fremont metalcore band Convictions have dubbed themselves “Aggressive Worship”. Their sound has always been marked by deeply vulnerable and emotional lyrics that often discuss serious themes with a faith-based perspective. Their 2021 release, I Won’t Survive, was a record defined by a cataclysmic shift in sound. Drop-tuned guitars and chaotic song structures provided the canvas for songs with heavy subject matters such as suicide, survivor’s guilt, and cancer. This deeply raw and vulnerable approach coupled with the boundary-pushing nature of the album’s sound saw them turn many heads.
The band has seen much change since then, with most of I Won’t Survive’s lineup departing and leaving founding members Michael Felker (lead vocals) and Zach Scwochow (drums). The band has remained busy regardless, recently concluding the Aggressive Worship tour with Confessions of a Traitor and bringing on their tour lineup as permanent members. Through these challenges, the band are finally ready to present their next album, The Fear of God.
The album’s first single, “Sleeping Lotus”, was decidedly more of a standard yet enjoyable take on Convictions’ sound. Newcomer guitarist-vocalist Quinton Dreier delivers quite an effective chorus hook, undoubtedly a daunting task given the strong choruses on I Won’t Survive. Felker’s performance shows an undeniable improvement in skill, employing some unexpected deathcore-esque high shrieks towards the track’s end. Producer Lee Albrecht (Hollow Front) helps to give the track enough punch in the mix, but it did feel like a safer play for the band considering what came before. Given the band’s new lineup, this did feel understandable.
“Four Horses” takes a swing back towards the unbridled aggression that has become the band’s trademark. With its earth-shattering guitar tones and Felker leading the fully-screamed track, it felt like a continuation of the sounds explored by the band previously. It’s a pummelling, short track that hits all the sweet spots that it needs to. Mid-album pace changer “Crucible” follows suit, bringing a good amount of variety in the album’s intensity.
The band’s emphasis on emotional songwriting is far from lost, with “Hurts Like Hell” being dedicated to Scwochow’s late father. The track presents a rather honest expression of grief, seeking to come to terms with the loss. A particularly impactful line comes in the bridge (“Did God make a mistake, the day He took you away?”), depicting an authentic moment of doubt in struggling to trust divinity. The track’s emotional impact in undoubtedly felt, taking a more melodic approach to bring it across.
The album’s songs continue to discuss weighty topics without pulling any punches. “Buried In Thorns” details the experience of a victim of domestic abuse, with a genuine expression of anger felt in the injustice leading the track to a hardcore-influenced heaviness. With lines like “You hit a woman with the same hands that you pray to God”, there is a strong sense of despair conveyed in the betrayal of one who was supposed to be trusted.
“Waking Nightmare” approaches the subject of miscarriage and the intense guilt that can accompany it. Convictions have always displayed a great deal of empathy in the retelling of stories, and this is no exception. One of the track’s most melodic tracks, “The Coastal Glow”, takes on the topic of men’s mental health, describing the struggle to conform to societal standards and the isolation it causes. The nature of these songs can be difficult to listen to, but there is a lot to be appreciated in Conviction’s sincere songwriting, with a message of solace and hope at the end of it.
As mentioned previously, Felker’s vocal abilities have definitely taken a step up, and his performance on The Fear of God is arguably one of his best. The emotion conveyed through his vocals has always been one of Convictions’ strongest suits, and his increased skillset on this album helps to further that aspect. Dreier’s performance on clean vocals does well for the most part, able to deliver convincing hooks on many of the tracks. The choruses on I Won’t Survive were exceedingly captivating, and it would perhaps be unfair to expect Dreier to attain such standards off the bat. His vocals do get pitchy in places, particularly on the choruses “Buried In Thorns” and “Waking Nightmare”. Given his stronger performances on other tracks, the inconsistencies are rather curious.
The emotional weight of The Fear of God cannot be understated, and it tries its best to match that sonically. While the album’s sound is consistent, it can perhaps be too consistent, with the songwriting at times feeling repetitive. The album does present a good range of melodic to heavier tracks, but they can feel lacking that je ne sais quoi that was present before. Albrecht’s involvement does help in creating variety, particularly more on the melodic side. However, a lot of the album’s sonic choices started to remind of Hollow Front more than Convictions. The album’s tracks are still solid performances in their own right, but at times they struggle to continue with the band’s previously established direction.
The Fear of God is generally still an commendable effort. At its core, it still accomplishes Convictions’ goal of creating genuine impact through their songwriting. Even with much room for improvement, the emotional depth of The Fear of God is likely an aspect that many will find themselves identifying with. With their new lineup, I do hope that they are able to find stability in it and craft a new sound and identity for themselves moving forward.
7/10
The Fear of God releases on the 2nd of August via independent release. Pre-order links for the album can be found here.