In the sun-drenched city of Miami, the last thing you would expect from a band is doom-laden soundscapes built around an ancient Roman concept (Pax Romana translates as the Roman Peace). But that is exactly what the excellently-titled Coffin Dancer has provided here with this four-track vinyl release.
Gargantuan bass-lines collide with juggernaut rhythms and gigantic crescendos to create a sound not unlike Neurosis. There’s a certain angularity to songs such as instrumental opener “Act I: Revolt of the Proletariat”. Coffin Dancer slowly maneuver this track from brooding ambiance into a ferocious sonic eruption full of razor-sharp guitars and massive, rolling drums.
“Act II: Another March To Calvary” initially lessens the tempo built on the opener by constructing a poignant Slint-like passage of minor chords and subdued percussion. The dense atmospherics, though, provide an ominous air. They soon subside as Coffin Dancer launch into a wall of sound that can only be described as apocalyptic. The churning rhythm, the throat-shredding vocals and dense distortion detonate like a bomb.
Perhaps a little variation would have benefited this release, but who am I to argue when tracks like “Act III: Auto de Fe” literally explodes into a monumental thirteen minute epic. A visceral and cathartic experience, Coffin Dancer may not offer anything new, but “Pax Romana” will appeal to fans of crushing doom saturated heavy rock.| Reviewer: Michael Henaghan Added: July 24th 2007 |
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