The Fear of God Review Posted August 12, 2024 By RyanAdams_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know:
Convictions is a Christian metalcore band from Ohio that has been unleashing hope-filled heavy music for a little over a decade now. The Fear of God is their fourth full length album and seventh project overall.
What It Sounds Like:
Convictions continues the chaotic, explosive sound that their previous masterpiece, I Won't Survive, introduced. The self-labeled aggressive worship is as evident here as anywhere else, staying consistent with their lyrics that address serious life struggles with a faith-based hope. Lead singer Michael Felker's vocal range has noticeably improved, the mix is fantastic, and the music is modern metalcore with electronic elements.
Spiritual Highlights:
Aggressive worship is the moniker and as long as it is, the band won't shy away from telling people that God is the author of our hope and is present in our struggles. "Sleeping Lotus" is a vulnerable song that expresses desire to change and become better, acknowledging that, like a flower, we might wither before we bloom. This outcry to God is evident of the band's heart and foundations in the times of struggle.
Much like the themes of I Won't Survive, the band continues to write songs about sensitive, tough topics to help people. "Hurts Like Hell" addresses grief and questions God in the hurt. "Buried In Thorns" is a song that details domestic abuse victims, maturely written. Even something like miscarriage is met with sympathy in "Waking Nightmare." But through it all, hope is evident, thanks to the band's faith.
Best Song:
With so many heavy hitters, The Fear of God is sure to grip the listener somewhere along the journey. But if nothing else, the last song, the title track, will get your attention. "The Fear of God" is unrelentless in its short length. The band proclaims that only the fear of God will save us with "It's dread of the unknown/Like a lamb to the slaughter/When all hope is gone/Will you embrace the fear of God?"
The Fear of God is devastatingly heavy and is unashamedly vulnerable. We need more heavy music like this. The expert songwriting is showcased in writing songs centered around sensitive topics while proclaiming God's hope above it all. There's no denying that this record spotlights the current line-up's strengths in the metal world, and Mike's screams having more range and ferocious than ever. Despite these highlights, there were times when the songs sounded too similar to each other - with a similar sounding mix evident in each. This wasn't bad, but more variety would have bonded the record even more.
