Band:	Coffins
Album:	Beyond The Circular Demise
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	September 20, 2019
A review by:	Troy Killjoy

01. Terminate By Own Prophecy
02. The Tranquil End
03. Forgotten Cemetery
04. Impuritious Minds
05. Hour Of Execution
06. Insane
07. Birth Postmortem
08. Gateway To Dystopia

Old school revivalism is rife with debate over its necessity, but practitioners don't concern themselves with such trivial matters. They just get the job done and let their work speak for itself.

Coffins have thus far built a rather impressive résumé showcasing their grimy, crunchy death metal sound interlaced with the daunting, elongated doom riffs of a decade seemingly incapable of being laid to rest: the '90s -- particularly the early portion. While a single trace of originality is impossible to track down throughout this 40-minute onslaught of stripped down hellish barbarism, Beyond The Circular Demise is a formidable addition to the genre's history, something that if released around the same time as its blatant influences, could be reveling in the same glory today having been propped up in the annals of death metal as a bona fide classic -- much in the same way Disembowelment's Transcendence Into The Peripheral is so highly regarded. This period-specific perfection could be a result of their existence dawning back to the aforementioned decade, but their actual impact wouldn't be felt in physical form until the 2000s when their material was given widespread opportunity.

Something these Japanese throwback worshipers capture exceptionally well is the topical vibe of the style, incorporating structurally punk-based bridges with some ominous wah-wah-wailing guitar leads of death metal's foundational beginnings. Masterfully produced to fit the overly gritty, murky sound of the time, even the most seasoned death metal veteran would have trouble discerning when this album was released based purely on listening to it without any information or context clues. It's less of a Coca Cola/Pepsi difference, and more of a Diet Coke/Coke Zero difference. The subtle nuance is immeasurably notable. (Also, if any Coke or Pepsi corporate execs are reading this review, Metal Storm is always open to sponsorship opportunities. You could be the lucky recipient of more future shoutouts in obscure death metal reviews! Have your people contact our people...)

The lack of groove is a seemingly chosen course of action, as the intentional songwriting indicates a level of understanding well beyond the limitations of death metal's formative years, but it's one that negates a more cohesive and complete experience for the listener. While there are definite moments that snag your attention, reeling you into the monstrous assault of catchy bass drum beats and nod-along guitar riffs, their brevity is interrupted by more plodding and buildup than actual payoff. Added guitar solos and doom-inspired melodies would have taken this album into territories beyond its grounded and simplistic approach, but unfortunately there just aren't enough engaging elements for its audience to give themselves over to. Instead, basic mid-paced riffing and low-energy punk undertones carry the album on a single-minded journey of paying homage to prehistoric contemporaries and possibly even themselves, with a varied and underrated drummer doing his best to inject this album with a higher sense of energy. Beyond The Circular Demise is simultaneously good for what it is, and good for what it isn't -- but nothing more than that. Its judgment will undoubtedly be doled out in a more harsh tone if only because of the decade of its release.