WITH CONVICTION
S/T
4/5

Who It’s For: Those sick of the “core” scenes
Sounds Like: Earth Crisis, At The Gates, Snapcase

Toronto’s WITH CONVICTION (www.myspace.com/withconviction) breathe life into the over-crowded metal scene with their self-titled, independently released EP!

Often lumped in with the dime a dozen death-inspired, nay “deathcore,” crowd WITH CONVICTION owe more to genre benders EARTH CRISIS and SNAPCASE than CANNIBAL CORPSE and CARCASS. Mixing classic thrash riffs with the ferocity of hardcore, singer Michael Kopko and gang (the band is rounded out by drummer Sean Ryan, guitarist Jamie Bryan, and guitarist bassist James McBride), hit it out of the park on standout track “Meaningless Poetry” evoking memories of the legendary AT THE GATES. Kopko’s vocals channel ATG-era Tomas Lindberg and compares favorably with much of the Swede’s recent vocal works (see failed stints with The Crown and Nightrage).

This isn’t to say the release isn’t without its flaws: for one there are far too many breakdowns, and the songs are far too short - all clocking in at or under 3 minutes. If the band is to break out of the over-crowded metal-core genre it must shed the clichéd breakdowns and let the songs develop into the masterpieces they ache to be.

All in all, one of the best EP’s I’ve heard in years. WITH CONVICTION blazes through 6 songs in 16 minutes, leaving listeners battered and wanting more.

Don’t let the hip-hop inspired cover-art fool you, WITH CONVICTION is pure-fucking metal!

Track Listing:

1. It Never Felt So Good To Kill
2. Of My Own
3. The Earth Stops Spinning
4. Meaningless Poetry
5. Everything
6. Clench Your Fist

- SHUM