This record proves how differently a certain genre can be interpreted, yes how contrary the same genre can be. For this review one needs equal measures of Coffin Lurker‘s debut Foul and Defiled and Sunn O))) as a reference band to explain how nearly antagonistic doom can be.
There are several levels on which you can compare both bands: Both are supergroups! We all know that about Sunn O))) and Coffin Lurker is another “super-duo” comprised by none other than Maurice De Jong (aka Gnaw Their Tongues, Cloak of Altering and MANY more) and Rene Aquarius (Dead Neanderthals, Imperial Cult and also MANY more)! If you ever have given more than one ear to Dutch Doom, you will certainly have stumbled upon one record by either of these two. So, check parallel two as SunnO))) are also known for a mindblowing array of bands and projects its members are involved in.
Both bands love Doom metal, for sure! However, when listening to both you surely will get two very, very different aspects of said genre. Whilst Sunn O))) love the ambient and somewhat sparse side of Doom trying to give room to every single shutter and every unique quake of the low-tuned strings, Coffin Lurker are quite different: They approach and attack Doom from a Noise and Harsh Electronics perspective in order to combine some of the most “foul” sounds you will hear with the slow growth of Doom songs. One might say that Sunn O))) is in some strange ways more “the Beauty” will Coffin Lurker doesn’t want to be anything but “the Beast”. And they really perform that act to the t. This is the horror version of Doom, but not a slow, psychological horror but the one that jumps at and strangles the listener, it might be music you better not listen to over your headphones for the first time – or slowly raise the volume bit by bit. Interestingly the ugliness in sound also goes along with a difference in speed – Anderson and O’Malley are interesting in the slowest form of harsh folk, while Aquarius and De Jong are a bit more punkish and (a bit) faster.
Someone might ask why to listen to this at all – well, first of all because the record is challenging our listening habits and if you are also trying to explore the outer realms of music – you cannot go a lot further in Doom than this one. Secondly, because the way that the duo combines some near-terrorist attacks from the Noise side on classic “mid-tempo” Doom shows how different “Avantgarde Doom” can be. Thirdly, because this record really is pure underground and will never fill Roadburn’s Mainstage, only a smaller room. Last but not least, the death-metal based guttural grunts are not unheard of in Doom but no one has reached this level of execution when it comes to incomprehensibility.
The underground heroes De Jong and Aquarius have once again shown that Europe’s most avantgarde version of Doom can definitely keep up with any other global Doom player when it comes to overwhelming and harsh music. This record will certainly transport you to another place – whether you can come back from it or like it remains to be seen.
