Coffins / Ilsa

This is a little split between Coffins and Isla. Both bands have a bit of doom in their loins, although Isla implements some crust influences that are absent in the doom/death metal assault of Coffins. There is a quality gap here, but I’m chalking it up to personal preference. I like my doom stuff raw and muddy, the way Coffins operates. Nothing against Isla, but I can’t appreciate “Cult of the Throne” the same way “Tyrant” tickles my fancy.

“Tyrant” sounds as if it dripped from the udder of the last Coffins record. Its death metal assault is carried out through a doom-inspired medium, all of which is cooked under a raw, meaty production. The assault is familiar, but Coffins is never boring at what they do. “Cult of the Throne” sounds fine, what with its doom/death metal theme coating itself in a sludgy drip of crust. The riffs it throws out are somewhat stagnant, however, and its distorted drive begins to falter before the piece goes back underground. Its last few minutes leak into a stomping section of slow, pounding riffs while the vocalist shrieks over the fuzz. It’s okay.

“Cult of the Throne” overstays its welcome and generally barks more than it bites, whereas “Tyrant” does its shtick and dips out. Still not a bad release for doom/death nuts, I suppose.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com