(Razorback Records - RR33)
Release date: 2005
Running time: 49:46

Review: Doom/Death Metal is not exactly my style of predilection (I don't always have the patience for it), and I'm not an expert but after listening to this, I think it's safe to say Coffins is the cream of the crop in this particular genre... The album opens with a slow introductive track: a wall of downtuned, fuzzed out guitar and distorted bass, bathed in creepy feedback... Then there's this really ominous, dark riff ripping through in the middle of the song, that's when I realized I was in for something special! The comparison with Winter made about this band was on the money, that's pretty much it (perhaps mixed with early Cathedral maybe)... The second track speed things up a little though and the band goes into a more raging Autopsy-mode ("Twisted Mass of Burnt Decay" style)... The largest bulk of the album is still very slow-paced, just dirging and totally heavy with only a few mean and sloppy faster rhythmic outbursts from time to time... Vocal-wise, raw, tortured, moans and grunts are in order... The sound of the whole thing is really nice and thick; honestly I can't totally get into the stillness of some of the songs, but that's doom metal for you, this style is just not really in my nature... And in terms of sludgy, atmospheric and incredibly heavy death metal, this album delivers... This is something a little different coming from Razorback Records (Mausoleum being the closest thing to Coffins on Razorback catalogue), but again this is above-average, quality metal. Plus have you seen this stunning Chris Moyen cover artwork? Damn this looks so awesome!

Track list: 1)Black End (6:21) 2)Slaughter Of Gods (4:50) 3)Mortuary In Darkness (5:43) 4)The Unspeakable Pain (8:34) 5)Sacrifice To Evil Spirit (9:06) 6)Torture (7:06) 7)Into The Coffin (Opression) (8:06)

www.razorbackrecords.com
www.coffin.jp - info@coffin.jp

(Living Dead Society - LDS 002)
Release date: 2005
Running time: 36:59

Review: Ok, I'm not sure making 2 Coffins reviews coincide like this is such a good idea, but here you go... This is the cd version of the demo by this japanese band. So they play Death/Doom and their songs are really slow, intense & long-winded; With down-tuned, heavy guitars and guttural vocals from beyond the grave... Although this obviously comes with a slightly rougher sound than on their recently released album, this is still perfectly listenable, just with a more obscure edge... Most of the songs are demo versions of tracks now also on their debut cd but it also contains very interesting things like a cover version of Venom's "Warhead" and a couple of live tracks. Only 6 tracks but still almost reaching the 37 minute mark, so yes these songs drag, but in a very punishing way! Recommended to lovers of tortured old school doom metal!

Track list: 1)Black Storm (0:41) 2)Sacrifice To Evil Spirit (6:28) 3)Into The Coffin (10:17) 4)Warhead (5:47) 5)The Unspeakable Pain (7:49) 6)Warhead (5:57)

www.livingdeadsociety.com
www.coffin.jp - info@coffin.jp