Description

Picture disc with inlay

You know what you’re getting when it comes to Japan’s dirtiest death/doom dealers Coffins, a band who’ve managed to harness the power, atmosphere and stench of old school death metal to glorious effect. Musical innovation and progression is not really that high up on your list of priorities when you’re armed with the kind of grotesquely exhumed riffs that would make Chuck Schuldiner himself cower in fear, and over the past few years we’ve always been able to depend on these guys to provide that satisfyingly primitive bludgeoning we all need, so it’s kind of surprising to find a slightly different sounding Coffins on this release. Fear not, this is Coffins we’re talking about, so it’s not too much of a departure from their trademark sound – you won’t find any sweep picking, breakdowns or ludicrously ham-fisted dance beats here, but the overall sound of this release is noticeably lighter than before. Just like their last release, ‘Sewage Sludgecore Treatment’ (the band’s loving tribute to the likes of Buzzoven, Eyehategod and Iron Monkey), primary vocal duties have now been handed over to drummer Ryo Yamada, who possesses a raspier, slightly higher growl than guitarist Uchino’s all-encompassing guttural bellows. Whilst Ryo does a great job here, it’s hard not to miss Uchino’s inimitable growl, although he can still be heard punctuating those deliciously rancid riffs with that familiar Tom G. Warrior style “OOH!” from time to time. The spirit of Autopsy is channelled numerous times throughout this EP, with ‘Grotesque Messiah’ churning out a number of those distinctively deranged riffs, and 7 minute slugger ‘Carpet Of Bones’ engaging in some disgustingly tasty ‘Mental Funeral’ worship. ‘March Of Despair’ may not be the band’s finest outing, but it’s still a respectable addition to their impressive discography, one that’s sure to expand to Agathocles levels of incomprehensibility if they continue on at the rate they’re going. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, any one of their three awesome full lengths would make a better starting point, but if you’re a die-hard, there’s really no way you’ll fail to enjoy this – just don’t come expecting ‘Buried Death’ levels of brutality and you’ll have yourself a damn good time.

Track list:
1. Till Dawn Of The Doomsday
2. Grotesque Messiah
3. Carpet Of Bones
4. In Bloody Sewage
5. Corpsegrinder
6. Till Dawn Of The Doomsday
7. Grotesque Messiah