Review: “This Pain Will Serve You” by Confessions Of A Traitor

“This record is a heartfelt tribute to those who have experienced profound loss — to those who continue to grieve the ones they love. It stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, inviting listeners to find comfort and solidarity in faith, hope, and the shared experience of grief. We grow from trauma — we let it serve us.” ~ Confessions Of A Traitor

London Metalcore merchants Confessions Of A Traitor have been around since 2013 with a pair of EPs paving the way for 2019’s debut album “Guided” which was the bands one and only release via Sliptrick Records. That features guest vocal appearances from both Ryan Kirby of Fit for a King and Scott Kennedy of Bleed From Within and didn’t so much as put the band on the map as bury their flag in it. A year later they released a cover of “Papercut” by Linkin Park before 2021 saw them waterfall release singles to form EP “Press Start to Play” independently, paving the way for their appearance at Tech-Fest that summer. Inking a deal with Californian label Facedown Records lead to sophomore album “Punishing Myself Before God Does” before the bands first tour in the US with label mates Convictions. Now, more than a decade after they began their journey they return with an album which delves deeply into the complex and raw emotions of grief and loss. Produced by the band and SikTh vocalist Justin Hill (The Five Hundred, Heart Of A Coward, Hacktivist) and mixed by Australian legend Lance Prenc (Alpha Wolf, Polaris, Void Of Vision), “This Pain Will Serve You” finds the band a four piece following the departure of bassist Tony Nagle.

An opening cut of urgent spine juddering, angular riffs and brutal vocals “Starve” feels like a swan dive into the asphalt from a band who are at the height of their game. Lyrically the title track, its a heavy hitting first endeavour that you might not have seen coming, like a slap in the face from a woman scorned. Maintaining the intensity levels, the crushing “Fatal Frame” keeps the staccato riff break barrages coming but embraces a clean chorus with scream-a-long vibes, perfect for those long night drives we all endure. Aching ambient textures are a subtle addition, the crushing riffs and powerful rhythms keeping them at bay before the pile driver that is “Doomsayer” rears its ugly head. Another one with a powerful, well balanced chorus that refuses to steal the momentum from the verses it confirms that the four piece are very much masters at whipping up a storm and capturing their live energy on tape like lightening in a bottle. MacConville’s scalding vocals during the opening refrain of “Midnight Sun” are amongst the nastiest we’ve heard from him and are in perfect contrast with the melodic chorus, balancing everything on a knife edge with plenty of mosh pit friendly guitars. A stunning, achingly beautiful ambient passage adds a melodic break before the final third, the vocal layering that follows very tastefully put to good use.

Delicate clean vocals come to the fore as “Still Haunted” takes shape, icy piano effectively replacing lead guitars in stunning fashion. A song with instant sing-a-long appeal, it finds the band pushing their boundaries within their sound while still having the spine of their heavier songs. Continuing the narrative in rich darkness with clear influences from bands like Architects “Love You Left Behind” burns like wire, resonating with anyone who has loved and lost or found the right person at the wrong time. Within its confines the beauty and beast of the Confessions Of A Traitor sound lurk but crucially they don’t go all out heavy when it doesn’t suit the mood. Instead they save that for the moody “Noble Bloom“, a cut with buried electronics, brutal roars, dark melodies and thought provoking lyrics. Its very much the gift that keeps giving over multiple spins, little nuances popping out of the mix with each repeated listen. A cut which the band have been playing live for quite some time “Hail Mary” is the perfect fit as the jewel in the crown of “This Pain Will Serve You“. Its almost a summary piece, encompassing every element used on the album as a whole as if purposefully formulated into one easy to swallow pill. MacConville’s caustic uncleans are well contrasted with a delicate spoken word, the melodic and heavy elements slamming into each other like waves crashing upon a shore during a violent storm.

Tearing a hole in the space time continuum “Let It Consume Me” dances on the cerebral cortex with style and grace, Sebastian Olward’s percussion chemically enhanced with fleeting moments of industrial sounds as the band deliver another powerhouse track. There are moments that border on what Carcer City achieved with “Infinite // Unknown” in the punishing grooves of the guitars which attack in waves, the introspective lyrical narrative on this one feeling particularly brave. Arguably the same can be said of the hard hitting “The Sins I’m Yet To Answer For“, the four piece proving they can go pound for pound and toe to toe with any prize fighter and come out on top. Rounding off the collection in style “Half Life” skips over the anthemic chorus and instead, like opener “Starve” goes straight for the jugular with vocal venom, thick layers of guitar soaked in Gloom Metal groove. As an exploration of the mourning process and the journey towards healing, “This Pain Will Serve You” is a powerful anti-depressant, offering catharsis in heavy music with every attribute you could want from a modern Metalcore record [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Starve
2. Fatal Frame
3. Doomsayer (ft. Exist Immortal)
4. Midnight Sun
5. Still Haunted (ft. HolyName and Heal The Hurt)
6. Love You Left Behind
7. Noble Bloom
8. Hail Mary (ft. Convictions)
9. Let It Consume Me
10. The Sins I’m Yet To Answer For
11. Half Life

“This Pain Will Serve You” by Confessions Of A Traitor is out 16th May 2025 via Face Down Records