When it comes to death/doom, I’ve always preferred the fusion more on the “death” side. That isn’t to say the doom side has nothing worthwhile to offer. I’m just struggling to think of an example of such right now. Perhaps it’s the midafternoon blues or those tacos I just ate. Until then, I’ll continue to praise the deadly side of death/doom, and few today execute it as well as Coffins. As Japan’s ambassadors of all things brutally lethal and crushingly heavy, Coffins have been laying weaklings to waste for nearly 30 years. Their latest album, Sinister Oath, is no exception.
On the full length end of things, it’s been 5 long years since we last heard from Coffins (2019’s Beyond the Circular Demise was a bruiser). That isn’t to say we haven’t heard from them at all. As always, a slew of splits and singles were released in the interim. However, nothing compares to the thrill of a full length offering, an artist giving you their all for 40-60 minutes. OK, who am I kidding? In today’s CD age, it’s usually 60+ minutes. Coffins played it smart here, keeping Sinister Oath at a reasonable running time of just a little over 42 minutes. Talk about old school!
Coffins waste no time getting down to business, abandoning the obligatory synth/acoustic guitar intro that’s become so common an extreme metal in exchange for a barrage of murky riffs in “B.T.C.D.”. This segues right into the moshy “Spontaneous Rot”: A punisher guaranteed to gelatinize your cranium. The riffs, bass, and vocals are lower than hell itself, each blurring into each other for dizzying effect. From there, we’re treated to rabid Autopsy-esque outbursts like “Forced Disorder”, “Things Infestation”, and “Headless Monarch”. There’s no doubt these death disciples spun Mental Funeral a time or 10 in their youth.
On the doom side of the equation are lengthy dirges like the title cut and “Everlasting Spiral”, the latter being the most appropriately titled song on here with its monotonous sludgy lead riff. Truth be told, these slower moments do little for me in the long run, at times even throwing off the pace of the album. However, I understand their importance sonically in keeping true to the Coffins ethos. I also admire the band’s ability to go from the most miserable, soul crushing doom to a pissed off rager like “Chain”, which can best be described as death/doom with a metalpunk twist. Those riffs and d-beats sound straight out of a Discharge song circa ’82.
True to their moniker, Coffins have crafted yet another album that’s bound to leave their listeners in a, you guessed it, coffin. Equal parts death and doom, Sinister Oath is the sound of a band who shows no signs of slowing down, even if they’re quickly approaching veteran status. If anything, they’ve grown darker and bleaker with age, and we can only hope they continue to do so in the years to follow. Beware these sinister ministers and their gospels from the crypt!
7 out of 10
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Death/Doom Metal
For fans of: Autopsy, Cianide, Asphyx