Even before this era of eminent accessibility, no band ever hurt their chances of success by having some kind of gimmick to broaden their appeal and, perhaps, bolster the work done in the studio. We all know about the makeup and costume set like KISS and GWAR, and we're familiar with the tragic but quintessentially metal backstory of MAYHEM. Others could rely on simple geographics, like any Scandinavian Black metal band.

Then there's the more complex geographics. One may not be so surprised to hear metal music from that far north, but from the Middle East? Well, it isn't so shocking when considering the tales of a band like ACRASSICAUDA, who fled growing violence and death threats in Iraq. But if Metal music is an attempt to remove an oppressive boot from the neck, you'll be truly inspired by Iran-via-Norway based CONFESS, whose long-awaited third album "Revenge At All Costs" marks the band's third album and first full-length release after imprisonment threatened to end the group entirely.

Two members of the band, NIKAN KHOSRAVI and ARASH ILKHANI (known as SIYANOR [-13] and CHEMICAL, respectively), extricated themselves and took asylum in Norway, recruiting a few locals to continue what was started back in 2010.

For the most part, however, what you're getting on "Revenge At All Costs" is just on the positive side of formulaic. The familiar Thrash/Groove which seems to dominate their home region is the sound found here, and most of these fake an ending which instead evolves into a Nu Metal type outro. "Phoenix Rises" does this first, and combined with "EVIN" and "Ransom Note", the three combine to set an average pace for three quarters of the album. The closer, "I Speak Hate", almost reaches breakout status but ultimately falls in line with the others.

That said, there are a few tracks which do stand out against the rest. "You Can't Tame The Beast", despite the name, actually has quite a reined in quality to it, not the typical sort of bruising metal found elsewhere. The single "Megalodon" is even more radio-ready and has the same features; working a more sedate tempo and winning with power rather than speed. The follower "Under Surveillance" then manages to work the formula mentioned prior with much more speed and intensity, leaving it as the album's shortest track.

Which brings us to the numbers game. Including the opener, which consists of news clips chronicling the band's issues, there are eleven tracks totalling just over fifty minutes altogether. That would otherwise be a torturous red flag, an indication of overstaying or overworking. While most songs use their time wisely, some would benefit from a little trimming.

Overall, however, "Revenge At All Costs" is still a good album, worth the wait to their faithful fans, and a clear declarative statement. What the album lacks in pure originality it makes up in refined passion and authenticity. No it isn't groundbreaking, even for Iran, nor even anywhere from Algeria to India, but even if every burgeoning metal scene has a Western-built foundation, CONFESS has a fair claim to be a native pillar on the ground floor.