Review by Alex on November 29, 2019.

It’s one of those records that once marked by the needle can’t seem to ever be relieved from the turntable. And while the vinyl version is not out yet I'm going to call a Nostradamus and say it’s going to do just that regardless of the format. From Germany's deepest bellows of bile comes Into Coffin, a trio digging a never ending pit it seems since 2015 with no intentions of stopping as they venture beyond mortal realms of flesh and bone. For some time now I have been searching for a band that evokes such a sensation that I could place them among the cursed catacombs of Encoffination and Grave Upheaval, I think I have found such an entity. Due out on Terror From Hell Records (a label I am happy to have found) is Into Coffin's 2nd full length and continuing adventure, "Unconquered Abysses".

Firstly what a wonderful fucking band name, simple and direct, yet crafting obscurities of epic proportions. Hands deep down in the soil, "Unconquered Abysses" is doom/black/death masterclass through its 1hour 15 minute long magnetizing pull to depths the inquisitive have been unfortunate in returning from. "Unconquered Abysses" features 4 of the heaviest death/doom tracks you would have heard in 2019; every note played is like adding new pressure levels of weight to an already sinking tomb. Even the titles of the tracks are incredibly heavy and immense, 'Antediluvian Flames', 'Unconquered Light of Nothingness', 'Catacombal Echoes from AB.ZU.' and 'Archetype for the Total Ruin'; dim the lightsturn the volume up and let Into Coffin slowly gnaw at your psyche thought by thought.

There's something elementary at work here yet lingers is a conspicuous enough complexity within the crawling and choking pulses of death/doom; each transition unearths new vacuous gasps, swallowing the illumination and tightening the grip of darkness. This is the body of work at its most effective peak, demonstrating a war among genres while showcasing an order, an understanding of each purpose. Every note played adds to the joy of being absorbed through the darkness growing in capacity as it shrouds the peripheral outlook. You will be mercilessly squashed by the unforgiving density of 'Antediluvian Flames' dragging you through a millennia of bone and flesh with its gravitational pull and increasingly widening reach.

The vocals dispel hope while allying itself with thunderous wacks at the snare and tremor-like power-chords decomposing and undoing the technical (at times) fret-board. Slumber never a thing of the thoughts, 'Catacombal Echoes from AB.ZU.' and the grandiose of such is the cogency propelling such a majestic amassing of sounds. "Unconquered Abysses" feels like a scolding of bands that have trod such a rhythmically demanding and time consuming, tedious path, but with no avail. You'll want to repeat this record once it's finished, fuck, it never does feel like it's done albeit those frequencies bounce around your head long after its finale. A most sincere acolyte of the unholy trinity being black/death/doom "Unconquered Abysses" is, with so much being offered apart from the necessary essences, the longer the trance, the deeper the descent. Consider yourself fortunate if your exploration has led you to finding Into Coffin as it is far too often bands this talented go unnoticed, plus with new bodies of musical incompetence being formed everyday and adding their crap to the already congested medium makes such an unearthing one of priceless value.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 1, 2019.

Sometimes life is easy. Just get a good drink, put a black vinyl on the turntable and listen to a meaty piece of heavy metal. If there is no vinyl at hand, a CD can be taken as well. For example, a copy of the debut of Stormdeath which has been released by the fine label Witches Brew. The musicians of this underground entity do not hide that they like a pretty simple way of proceeding as well. The quartet originates from Sweden, but its stomping style has a rather Teutonic touch. Either way, Time to Destroy is an album that makes fun. Don't expect pompous song patterns or any form of bombastic equipment, but a unit that knows how to use the tried and tested tools and they perform an approach that has found its place between heavy / power metal and thrash.

A more than sufficient number of songs burst out of the speakers with a lot of pressure and spontaneity. Impulsive and double-bass driven, this is how pieces like "Accursed" speed along their straight highway. The powerful, warm and gapless sound sets the right frame and so many tunes shine in full bloom. Well, the band did not have the right touch when it came to the arrangement of the track list, because the rather weak numbers kick off this album. However, the hit rate is still quite remarkable and dynamic neck breakers like "Black Sorrow" ensure a fist banging mania, a headbanging euphoria or a skull splitting orgy - make your choice right now or listen to false metal for all eternity.

The musicians have given themselves rather ridiculous pseudonyms and this action remains a mystery to me, because their music spreads dark and fairly dangerous vibes, much more than trite names like "Predator" or "Evil Bastard". However, this is the only gimmick which is offered by this down-to-earth formation, if one neglects a slightly strange bass solo in the third track. The core competence of the Scandinavians is honest music and a song like "Dreamwalker" proves evidence in this context. It seems to be the heavy brother of Priest's "Nightcrawler" and connects a gloomy atmosphere at the beginning with a stormy ending. This is modern yet tradition-conscious, generic heavy metal at its best, even though the thrash elements prevail when it comes to the entire material. 

But details aside, Stormdeath just try to combine the best of both worlds and they are pretty successful in doing so. Even though the songs are not spectacular, experimental or overloaded with breaks, I would not call them predictable or primitive, by far not. These ruffians present a comprehensible style, no more, no less, and that's absolutely okay from my point of view. They also integrate catchy elements every now and then, for example the chorus of "Pay the Price" keeps sticking in the listener's mind. Therefore, it can be a good idea for everyone who likes handmade blue collar metal to check this album out. It will not change your life, but it invites you to a more than decent listening session.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 1, 2019.

Sometimes life is easy. Just get a good drink, put a black vinyl on the turntable and listen to a meaty piece of heavy metal. If there is no vinyl at hand, a CD can be taken as well. For example, a copy of the debut of Stormdeath which has been released by the fine label Witches Brew. The musicians of this underground entity do not hide that they like a pretty simple way of proceeding as well. The quartet originates from Sweden, but its stomping style has a rather Teutonic touch. Either way, Time to Destroy is an album that makes fun. Don't expect pompous song patterns or any form of bombastic equipment, but a unit that knows how to use the tried and tested tools and they perform an approach that has found its place between heavy / power metal and thrash.

A more than sufficient number of songs burst out of the speakers with a lot of pressure and spontaneity. Impulsive and double-bass driven, this is how pieces like "Accursed" speed along their straight highway. The powerful, warm and gapless sound sets the right frame and so many tunes shine in full bloom. Well, the band did not have the right touch when it came to the arrangement of the track list, because the rather weak numbers kick off this album. However, the hit rate is still quite remarkable and dynamic neck breakers like "Black Sorrow" ensure a fist banging mania, a headbanging euphoria or a skull splitting orgy - make your choice right now or listen to false metal for all eternity.

The musicians have given themselves rather ridiculous pseudonyms and this action remains a mystery to me, because their music spreads dark and fairly dangerous vibes, much more than trite names like "Predator" or "Evil Bastard". However, this is the only gimmick which is offered by this down-to-earth formation, if one neglects a slightly strange bass solo in the third track. The core competence of the Scandinavians is honest music and a song like "Dreamwalker" proves evidence in this context. It seems to be the heavy brother of Priest's "Nightcrawler" and connects a gloomy atmosphere at the beginning with a stormy ending. This is modern yet tradition-conscious, generic heavy metal at its best, even though the thrash elements prevail when it comes to the entire material. 

But details aside, Stormdeath just try to combine the best of both worlds and they are pretty successful in doing so. Even though the songs are not spectacular, experimental or overloaded with breaks, I would not call them predictable or primitive, by far not. These ruffians present a comprehensible style, no more, no less, and that's absolutely okay from my point of view. They also integrate catchy elements every now and then, for example the chorus of "Pay the Price" keeps sticking in the listener's mind. Therefore, it can be a good idea for everyone who likes handmade blue collar metal to check this album out. It will not change your life, but it invites you to a more than decent listening session.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by JD on October 10, 2010.

Belgian metal is pretty good considering it is a very small country nestled in a larger metal market. Melodic Death Metal outfit Impedigon comes from this small patch of Europe, and they were ready to unleash their metallic punch on to the rest of the world.

With thunderous power and insane spatted vocals that channel from the very depths of man’s greatest fears, this five piece certainly knows what they are doing in the greater scope of things. Each guitar line and drum beat seem to for the basis for the purest Death Metal there is... yet I find only one glaring drawback to the album that sends my rating plummeting downwards to earth.

While the band clearly has some major talent flowing through their line-up, the bands music after awhile ends up being pretty average to me. While they have this astonishing sense of melody mixed with a heavy dose of sheer aggressiveness throughout the album, this quintet is not trying to sound different than all of the others out there. It is good Death Metal that they are making, but it seems like this has been done over and over again, bypassing originality.

I like the album as a whole, and I see them as having a good chance for more success... yet this album is not the right vehicle for the advancement of the band. I see that certain glimmer that Impedigon is moving towards that ‘wow’ factor that all bands try for, yet this album does little to make that happen. If they can keep this line-up and continue to focus on their music like I sense they have... there is no telling what the band could end up delivering in the future.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 6
Originality: 5
Overall: 6.5

Rating: 6.6 out of 10