The old school of death metal has always had a very exclusive list of graduates in recent years simply because it’s incredibly hard to pull it off in modern times solely because we’re no longer in the “old school” era. The times are moving forward but some acts still bring the past back with an absolute vengeance, and some perform better than others, naturally. Coffin Rot has only to release their debut demo, but it’s more than enough to qualify these gentlemen as graduates of the old school.

Typically, I’m not one for demos simply because I like it when bands actually put their material through the studio just a little bit before pushing it out. It’s an odd personal preference, but there’s an exception to everything, and Coffin Rot has presented to me four scathing tracks of death metal that they could leave untouched forever and I’d be happy because this eponymous demo is fucking immaculate! These songs absolutely ooze classic Cannibal Corpse in the era of “Vile” along with other classics of the style like Obituary, but comparing them to massive groups won’t do us any good. Coffin Rot proves their worth one track after another from the crushing riffs to the horrific (in a good way) vocals to the raw, underground feel that Coffin Rot executes so perfectly with each note maximizing each opportunity it’s given. That’s something not every new band can easily do, but Coffin Rot pulls it off splendidly in every way, and this demo is the perfect outcome of everything aligning perfectly to allow for a demo that’s not only crispy to no end but also a fabulous taste of what Coffin Rot is capable of.

Never before has a demo gripped me like what Coffin Rot has done here. The four tracks we’re given here are no less than exactly what many old-school fans look for in death metal nowadays, and Coffin Rot has nailed it on the fucking head at every turn! I don’t care if this is but a demo, I’m calling it here that Coffin Rot is the new band to keep loose tabs on. Who knows? There’s a good chance they’ll impress. I can feel it.

“Coffin Rot” releases on April 20th via Rotted Life!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Coffin Rot” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Coffin Rot on Facebook here.