Hooded Menace / Coffins

This is the third Hooded Menace split I've acquired in recent weeks and I must say I dig it mightily. Being new to this band, I've found sifting through their splits an interesting way to gauge their group development. "The Haunted Ossuary" is a thoroughly solid track, hitting notes of Swedish death metal without getting swamped in sterile derivations. It helps that Hooded Menace are extraordinary songwriters, finding room for nuance and atmosphere in an otherwise straightforward five-minute slice of mid-paced rockin' death-doom. When I say rockin', I mean it. This track has some seriously bruising grooves akin to Wolverine Blues era Entombed. But these grooves are tempered with beautiful melodic leads and some slower doom-laden passages. The cavernous rattle of the vocals lends eery menace as well, bolstering the feel of reeking gloom that permeates everything I've heard from them thus far. It's a sweet track, less epic, more straightforward than their other split singles but solid nonetheless.

As for Coffins, they are not a band I'm particularly fond of. I find their toxic stew of slow-crawl death/sludge to be ponderous, poorly produced, and often times boring. This track, "In Bloody Sewage," is a step-up from previous recordings. The production sounds fatter, sharper, and more threatening than previously. The guitars cut through the mix. The rhythm section is equally present and the vocals aren't buried. This increased presence lends menace. I dig the faster tempo and noisy feedbacking. Though monotonous, the vocals lend a darkened atmosphere. But these elements, though interesting, don't cohere. The fact remains that Coffins just aren't compelling songwriters. Just over six minutes, this track seriously starts to drag -- an enervating listen by the end.

Ultimately, it's all about Hooded Menace. Though not quite epic as other tracks they've released, "The Haunted Ossuary" is still a solid number to notch in their discography. As for Coffins, well, I'm glad I didn't hate it but it won't be getting much play from me. A newer version of their track also appears on their latest full-length making this split fairly redundant for Coffins fans. The Hooded Menace track, as yet, remains available here only so pick it up if you dig some powerful death-doom.

"The Haunted Ossuary:" 89%
"In Bloody Sewage:" 67%
Total: 78%