Customer Reviews

Unraveled

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Released a full 14 years after their 1991 debut Condemned, 2005's Unraveled is the long-awaited second full-length album from Confessor. The North Carolina underground doom legends are finally back, and they sound as vital as ever.

Unraveled starts with the standard doom metal formula - thick, plodding riffage plus melancholy (yet very powerful) vocals. From there the band adds their signature touches, like progressive metal technical elements, subtle melodies and Scott Jeffrey's unique vocals. Now with technical metallers Watchtower, Jeffrey sounds somewhere between Solitude Aeternus/Candlemass frontman Robert Lowe and the late Layne Staley. This has a classic doom metal vibe, but the technicality and overall energy keep it from getting repetitive or formulaic.

I see a lot of crossover potential here. Obviously fans of classic doom bands like Solitude Aeternus and Candlemass are going to want to hear this, but Confessor's sound should appeal to fans of progressive and traditional heavy metal (Nevermore comes to mind) as well. Given Unraveled's relatively low price tag, it's well worth taking a chance on this one.

Brutal riffing, giant vox with shades of medieval harmony, it's all here and in abundance. There's hardly a band that has both the syncopation and power that Confessor delivers on every track. If you liked the first album, you can't lose with this one. And it's mastered quite well, too, with plenty of guts for your car stereo.