This might be a debut album but it’s been a long time coming from French doom merchants, Conviction. Having formed in 2013, this long player has had a long gestation as the band have carefully poured their souls and influences into what will hopefully be the start of a long career.
From the off, it’s a funereal paced slab of doom metal. Think Cathedral “Forest Of Equilibrium” slow and heavy. Mid way through they get a really smooth groove going with some nice wailing lead guitar. Shades of C.O.D era Saint Vitus pop up on
“Through The Window” – all deathly slow and grimy with semi-whispered vocals. Ethereal, chanted chorus sections create a trance like aura. Olivier Verron’s clean, howling vocals reek of despair and desperation.
A standout track is “Curse Of The Witch” and a proper thumper it is with the mood of British doomsters Witchsorrow in the urgent, wah soaked riffage. Tortured screams and slanted guitar give it a hellish soundscape. Many of these tracks leave you with an ear worm as riffs lodge themselves firmly in your mind. “Castles Made Of Shame” with its melancholy sound harks back to “Sad Wings Of Destiny” era Judas Priest. A gritty metal sound and punchy, biting riff make for a delight. The very Cathedral sounding “My Sanctuary” rounds out a solid debut album.
Conviction have arrived with a well crafted, classic sounding chunk of old school doom metal. Maybe not ground breaking but plenty to make fans of the genre salivate.
(7/10 Johnny Zed)
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