British Christian Metalcorists Confessions of a Traitor offer their third full length album for fans both present and future in the brutally honest “This Pain Will Serve You.” I didn’t realize these guys have been around that long, but they have been refining their craft over the last 12 years, moving them towards veteran status, which this album makes clear.

Formed in 2013 by vocalist Stephen MacConville, guitarist Jack Darnell, and bassist Tony Nagle, COAT has been playing uncompromising Christian metalcore across Europe and abroad, supporting on tour some of the biggest names in the genre, both secular and faith-based. After a self-released EP, they signed to Sliptrick Records, culminating in their debut album “Guided” that was released in 2019. When COVID hit, they took the opportunity to turn that negative energy into an EP inspired by video games, “Press Start To Play.” When they signed to Facedown Records in 2022 was when I first ran across them, thinking that they were a fresh young band. In 2024, they toured with Convictions in the Aggressive Worship tour before pulling together “This Pain Will Serve You.”

Upon repeat listens, there are a lot of similarities between Convictions and COAT. Brutal, heavy, at times melodic, but never mellow, COAT are a standard bearer of modern metalcore with subtle elements making it their own. The passion they bring lends itself to some brutal subjects on the album such as shame, trauma, and separation, where they approach these difficulties in an open and honest manner from a Christian perspective. They are not preaching, but showing what it means to struggle with the tough stuff of life.

One of the early singles released for the album is “Hail Mary,” which is a collaboration with none other than Michael Felker (Convictions). Although it has the Hail Mary prayer in the middle of the song, the subject is much deeper, touching on the trauma of religious abuse at the hands of those that represent the church. I see this as a very brave anthem that spans across denominations and lays bare the shame of those who’ve been hurt by the church. Other subjects deal with private struggles with sin and forgiveness in “The Sins I’ve Yet To Answer For” and witnessing the decline of a loved one in “Noble Bloom.”

Delivery of lyrics is usually intense screaming from Stephen as well as a plethora of guest vocalists (check out the number of features in the track listing). Typically, the hardcore yelling/screaming can be a hit or miss for me, but Stephen’s delivery hits in the right place thanks to good production and his particular delivery. A great example is in the brutal vocals in “Fatal Frame” that uses multilayered screaming that is intense, yet not jarring. Clean vocals from Jacob Brand sound vulnerable which contrast the power in screaming, and unfortunately gets buried in the heavy guitars sometimes such as the verse on “Still Haunted.” But the contrast in vocal styles may be just what is needed to illustrate the lyrics.

The songwriting is engaging and flows easily, hitting hard and not overstaying. There is heavy leaning on the traditional metalcore tropes, but I like the use of grooving riffs like on “Midnight Sun” and “Let it Consume Me” that give it more “metal” and not just raging “core.” However it is the synth work that give COAT their distinctive flavor. I like the industrial elements in “Starve” and “Hail Mary,” however, it may be in the more subtle synths that really push their sound. For example in “Noble Bloom” the fast arpeggios in the background adds a level of tension like reaching the boss in a video game. It’s unnoticeable, unless you were listening for it. But with the synths comes a post-metal sheen to the more melodic songs on the album. The melodies are rather simple which is a double-edged sword in that some are lifted to anthems like “Still Haunted” and “Doomsayer,” but then become somewhat routine in “Let It Consume Me.”

Metalcore on the whole can be hit or miss with me, but COAT deliver a solidly enjoyable metalcore album that not only delivers the beatdown, but some melody with a clear positive message. Maybe it is the extra industrial work, the grooving riffs, and the post-metal sheen to their sound that helps, but in the whole, I think the band shows great promise and a bright future ahead of them. Given this is a Facedown release, I know that it isn’t just for the ears but for the soul as well. Take a listen, and you’ll hear what I’m saying – this is good stuff!

Rating: 8.5/10

Written by Sean Bailey

Tracklist
1 – Starve (Ft. MOMENTS (BE))
2 – Fatal Frame
3 – Doomsayer (Ft. Exist Immortal)
4 – Midnight Sun (Ft. Sarea)
5 – Still Haunted (Ft. Heal The Hurt & HolyName)
6 – Love You Left Behind
7 – Noble Bloom
8 – Hail Mary (Ft. Convictions)
9 – Let It Consume Me (Ft. War Of Ages)
10 – The Sins I’ve Yet to Answer For
11 – Half Life (Ft. Black Coast)

Confessions Of A Traitor is:
Stephen MacConville – lead vocals
Jack Darnell – guitar
Sebastian Olrog – drums
Jacob Brand – guitar and vocals

Release Date: May 16, 2025

Record Label: Facedown Records

Discography:
2014: Seasons (EP)
2017: Illuminate (EP)
2019: Guided
2021: Press Start To Play (EP)
2022: Punishing Myself Before God Does [review]
2025: This Pain Will Serve You

Social Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp

Video for Noble Bloom

Video for Hail Mary

Video for Doomsayer

Video for Still Haunted