Review by Saxy S for concealer. - This Room Could Be Heaven (2026)

As I've gotten older, I have become less tolerant for long, overbloated records. I squirm at the idea of an album longer than fifty minutes, especially when it comes from the metalcore scene. And even more so when the album is as blatant a nostalgia grab as This Room Could Be Heaven. by concealer. 

But here's the thing: This Room Could Be Heaven. is concise and straight-to-the-point. "Vanity, a Fractured Promise" starts the album with a bang and the record keeps going for almost the entire time, minus a few atmospheric post-rock passages. Those sections are probably this albums greatest fault, because on a record that runs shorter than half-an-hour, there is no room for meandering. Many of my favourite metalcore and thrash metal albums of the past five years have a no bullshit policy that they follow almost to the letter, and while this record is short and concise, it does not really abide by that policy for long.

That being said, there are some interesting moments here. "Color Slowly Fading" is an early record standout with a nice chorus that could have been borrowed straight out of an old Underoath album. The same can be said for "...And the Sunlight Spoke", which includes one of the few examples of a post-rock bridge actually complimenting the songwriting. On the flipside, the combination of "I" and "II" does not really do it for me. If the band wanted to treat "I" as an interlude, it could have worked, but "II" creates the illusion of being this ruthless hardcore slam, only for that song to subdue into more post-rock nonsense and it becomes a massive letdown.

At the end of This Room Could Be Heaven. I was underwhelmed. I could tell that concealer. have a knack for production and could tell you every miniscule detail about The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation. What pains me is that concealer. do not have that much to say about themselves. 

Best Songs: Vanity, a Fractured Promise, Color Slowly Fading, ...And the Sunlight Spoke

For Fans Of: Skycamefalling, Poison the Well