Scottish/Greek death metal 4-piece, Penny Coffin combine both early and new recordings together drawing inspiration from the grotesque to create ΤΕΦΡΑ / ΣΚΕΛΕΤΙΚΟ ΣΚΟΤΑΔΙ.
The first part of the release, ΤΕΦΡΑ, (pronounced “tefra”, meaning the ash of human remains, in Greek) resurrects the bands earlier material. “Smog” bludgeons for the most part but then goes full-on Akercocke Goat of Mendes-era and straight away I’m hooked. “Bootlicker” then follows slowly and menacingly belinding into 7+ minutes of “Confinement”. It’s just so bleak that it gave me goosebumps.
New recording ΣΚΕΛΕΤΙΚΟ ΣΚΟΤΑΔΙ (“Skeletal Darkness”) switches to more of a death/doom sound. “Jaws”, very much like the name suggests, constantly circles its prey whilst waiting for the perfect moment to strike – which in this case is a short sharp guitar solo. The ending of the track uses part of the poem “Bonedog” by Eva HD which is also featured in Netflix’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things. The part they use is very well done indeed
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The sun goes up and down
like a tired whore,
the weather immobile
like a broken limb
while you just keep getting older.
Nothing moves but
the shifting tides of salt in your body.
Your vision blears.
You carry your weather with you,
the big blue whale,
a skeletal darkness.
Why is so well done? the follow-up track, the longest of the release and my personal highlight, is entitled “Skeletal Darkness”. It’s 8 minutes that really highlights and encapsulates the band as a whole, with the last track – the aptly named “Finality” – clawing and scratching right until the very end.
A disgustingly welcome addition to the new year.
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ΤΕΦΡΑ / ΣΚΕΛΕΤΙΚΟ ΣΚΟΤΑΔΙ is out now
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