In Confesso

In Confesso is an unsigned hard rock/metal band from Norway. They sent me a package that included a nice looking CD, a bio sheet and even some stickers. It’s nice to see someone still working it old school with hard copy materials. I haven’t gotten a whole package like that in awhile, most bands submit material digitally (which of course makes sense) but this feels more professional to me, I guess because I have an actual product in my hands.

Between the package and the actual music on the CD I’d never guess In Confesso were unsigned. This is about as slick an unsigned package as I have seen. The packaging, the artwork and the sound quality of the music are all perfect. A label could walk in, pick this up, and release it as it is right now.

“The Sleeper” has a much more accessible sound than I’m used to listening to; you could easily hear this on the radio here in the U.S. Other than calling this hard rock I’m hesitant to use any labels. Because here in the U.S. if you are going to sound this accessible you are shooting for Nickelback status (which is where you start your career writing heavy but accessible songs on a metal label and then begin to transition to formulaic drivel that attracts both the rock and country masses and makes you lots of money at the expense of any real creativity and sucks all the soul out of the music.) I’m crossing my fingers here, but I don’t get that impression from these guys. This sounds like fairly genuine hard rock music. It’s terrible that I’m so jaded, but that’s what the U.S. corporate music grinder has made me become.

There are actually some semi-harsh vocals on here as well, and they sound pretty good mixed in with everything else. Listening to other tracks I might have thought harsh vocals out of place, but these guys pull it off well. The clean vocals sound great; he definitely has a good voice. The music sounds good too. It rocks pretty hard but doesn’t step in the way of the vocals. Nice mix.

In summary, this album takes me back to the early 90s, not musically, but in the mindset I achieve when listening. It makes me think of that innocent time in my life when rock music was still rock music and not a product that has been run through focus groups and test audiences to determine which songs will do best on the radio. This sounds like rock music for the sake of rock music, and I like that. - RockMusicCritic.com

When you think of metal bands coming out of Norway, obviously death metal and black metal would be the first sub-genres that come to mind. How refreshing then to listen to a Norwegian metal band that approaches things from a bit of a different angle. IN CONFESSO still do have some death metal vibes throughout their music, but this new album THE SLEEPER is much more of a modern alternative metal style with maybe even a slight hint of Nu-Metal if you listen hard enough.

Before you go running the other way though, don’t fret…. The Nu-Metal element makes up maybe ten or less per cent of the sound. The better description is modern alternative metal and the closest band I can compare them to would probably be either SEVENDUST or INCUBUS, but back when they themselves had a little more spine than these days. For a largely unknown band on the other side of the world I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at just how high the level of quality is overall. The musicianship and vocals are world class surely, the songwriting is edgy enough to rock out to, while still certainly having strong commercial appeal, the lyrics are though-provoking and plenty interesting, the physical product is as well-made as anything else you’d see in the record store and the production is absolutely fantastic. Meaty, chunky walls of sound that still know when to make way for more intricate sections is the key here.

Alt. Metal may be a bit of dirty word among a lot of music listeners these days, but bands like IN CONFESSO are here to show us that the genre can produce something special every now and then, THE SLEEPER deserves a larger audience and while there may not be anything on here that we haven’t heard before, everything on the album is done so well that it doesn’t really matter. Do yourself a favour and check this one out today.

Written By ZeeZee

Rating : 8/10 - My global mind

score: 5/6

Norwegian to English translation
In Confesso is a Bergen-based band consisting of vocalist Danial Fregstad, Alf Gunnar Andersen on guitar, Andreas Johansen on drums and Alexander Netteland on bass.
The common denominator of The Sleeper is impressive vocal work, mixed with energetic rhythms and tough guitar riffs. In Confesso moves within the alternative rock with elements of metal, the band has taken inspiration from Incubus and Tool. They have of course the obligatory melancholy between the parties, but basically The Sleeper consist of heavy good stuff.
The lyrical themes are largely socially critical opinions about politics and criticism of conformists. And the message is delivered with incredible energy.
The songs Two Faces and Empty Pockets, with pulsing drum work by Johansen and Fregstads glass-clear vocals, is perhaps the highlights of what is otherwise a consistent and hard hitting production. - Hamar Arbeiderblad

A great concert experience and if your fan of the genre, you should take note of the name In Confesso at once! - heavymetal.no

Quotes(translated):

- Professional and damn good!
- Skilled people I must say. A guitarist armed with a duct taped Paul red smith means business! Both instrumental and execution was great and the band sounded great on stage, vocalist Daniel Fregstad delivered at a sky-high level!
- They gave everything and we got everything!
- It would surprise me if these guys didn’t make a solid name for themselves soon!
- musikkbloggen.no (norwegian site)

great energy! incubus-like chorus, good dynamics of singing and screaming, solid song and production - Jake Livingston - A&R - Epic Records West Coast A&R