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I have nothing else to do, but just scream █ █ █ █ in ecstasy, as some truly amazing and killer sounds are █ █ █ █ coming out from the speakers of my stereo. It is the second █ █ █ █ full length album of American tomb crushing combo called █ █ █ █ Coffin Texts, ôThe Tomb of the Infinite Ritualö, which I █ █ █ █ finally managed to obtain on vinyl! Well, I was also very █ █ █ █ excited once I have played and listened to the previous LP █ █ █ █ of the band, called ôGods of Creation, Death & Afterlifeö, █ █ █ █ but I see this new album as something even more lethal and █ █ █ █ devastating than the debut. Man, if you donÆt know it yet, █ █ █ █ this may actually be one of the most deadliest and █ █ █ █ brilliant death metal albums in the recent years, so open █ █ █ █ your eyes on it, purchase a copy and let those sounds tear █ █ █ █ your guts and crush your body! █ █ █ █ I think I can say that already the opening theme for ôTo █ █ █ █ Manifestö has done the job and crushed me into one, big █ █ █ █ pile of guts, blood and shit. Only shreds remained, so █ █ █ █ brilliant is this opening track, so damn vicious and so █ █ █ █ perfectly crafted. One thing I instantly recognised and █ █ █ █ loved about it is its darkened and morbid atmosphere, which █ █ █ █ reminds me my favourite death metal LP of all times, namely █ █ █ █ from ôAltars of Madnessö. Really, Coffin Texts, even though █ █ █ █ musically are not necessarily 100% close to the ancient █ █ █ █ Morbid Angel, developed a very similar mood in their music. █ █ █ █ Maybe itÆs thanks to the production, which is quite █ █ █ █ similar, especially that killer guitar tone? Or maybe itÆs █ █ █ █ because the vocals of Robert Cardenas sound so damn close █ █ █ █ to the good, old master of ghouls, David Vincent? Anyway, I █ █ █ █ fuckin love it and can truly admit that it just cannot be █ █ █ █ any better than this! Musically it is like a combination of █ █ █ █ the ferocity from Angel Corpse with the mood and some more █ █ █ █ atmospheric bits resemble to the mentioned Morbid albumà █ █ █ █ well, say whatever you want, but in my opinion with such █ █ █ █ anthems as ôTo Manifestö Coffin Texts just fuckin rules the █ █ █ █ netherworld of death metal!!!!!! Hail! █ █ █ █ But ôTo Manifestö is only the beginning of the very █ █ █ █ exciting and killer album. All in all ôThe Tomb of the █ █ █ █ Infinite Ritualö contains seven songs with nearly 38 █ █ █ █ minutes of death metal slaughter and believe me, not even █ █ █ █ for the single second Coffin Texts makes it sound weaker. █ █ █ █ Think of those two bands that I mentioned earlier, think █ █ █ █ also of Sadistic Intent, Vital Remains or the almighty old █ █ █ █ Possessedà think of the obscure, fast, brutal, but █ █ █ █ definitely old school sounding death metal. Its name is █ █ █ █ Coffin Texts. I just cannot resist to such songs as ôFinal █ █ █ █ Transformationö (probably the best track from the LP???), █ █ █ █ which is so devastatingly fast, so utterly ferocious that █ █ █ █ the walls crack and the howling voice of Robert is just █ █ █ █ crushing. But really, every band member has performed █ █ █ █ perfectly on this LP, the drummer Emilio Marquez sounds █ █ █ █ like the octopussy Lovecraftian beast with four arms behind █ █ █ █ his drumkit, so great is the drumming. And the riffs of █ █ █ █ Richard Gonzalez are just perfect. I love such kind of █ █ █ █ playing, with so many amazing memorable riffs, where it █ █ █ █ seems like every next part is just better than the previous █ █ █ █ one. In the end it is just impossible not to bang your head █ █ █ █ in frenzy and play the LP as loud as you can. This is what █ █ █ █ I fuckin call a death metal masterpiece. And in my honest █ █ █ █ opinion ôThe Tomb of the Infinite Ritualö belongs to those █ █ █ █ albums, which must be remembered for ages and deserve to be █ █ █ █ included in the DEATH META CLASSICS box. I know the █ █ █ █ consequences of this saying, especially as nowadays █ █ █ █ everyone has his own cult releases and basically all the █ █ █ █ best of this genre has been done two decades ago. But in my █ █ █ █ opinion ôThe Tomb of the Infinite Ritualö is just as █ █ █ █ amazing as the best classic death metal albums from that █ █ █ █ time. Very fuckin impressive, very fuckin recommended! █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ ôMy remains are placed in darknessàö. █ █ █ █ Standout tracks: ôFinal Transformationö, ôTo Manifestö, █ █ █ █ ôDivinationö █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ By now it should be clear how important first impressions █ █ █ █ are to me, with the album artwork being the first thing █ █ █ █ that decides whether I consciously avoid or embrace the █ █ █ █ album. Unfortunately, Coffin Texts' Tomb of Infinite Ritual █ █ █ █ suffers from this slight issue, but seeing how the band █ █ █ █ boasts members who have played in bands such as Possessed █ █ █ █ and Agent Steel, among many others, there is no way that █ █ █ █ this album, 12 years in the making since their debut in █ █ █ █ 2000, can be bad. █ █ █ █ Opening track Atum (Into the Divine Sphere) leaves one █ █ █ █ scratching his head, wondering what Coffin Texts would █ █ █ █ sound like on this long-awaited sophomore album. But █ █ █ █ without leaving the listener wondering long, the band kicks █ █ █ █ off their aural onslaught with the blistering To Manifest, █ █ █ █ with the furious trem-picked riffs and the intense drumming █ █ █ █ of Emilio being the main driving force behind the music. █ █ █ █ The music on Tomb of Infinite Ritual sounds like a more █ █ █ █ furious version of Morbid Angel and the likes, especially █ █ █ █ in the vocal execution of Robert, reminiscent of David █ █ █ █ Vincent's early works. The commanding and abrasive tone of █ █ █ █ the guitars and the urgency in the pace of the music █ █ █ █ throughout even reminds listener of later Floridian bands █ █ █ █ like Perdition Temple as well, and even the chaotic lead █ █ █ █ guitar moments are reminiscent of that of Gene Palubicki's. █ █ █ █ The bass guitars on the record also provide some groove to █ █ █ █ the music, as evident on moments such as the intro of Final █ █ █ █ Transformation. █ █ █ █ Though Tomb of Infinite Ritual is a rather short album in █ █ █ █ itself, lasting less than 40 minutes, the tracks that are █ █ █ █ contained within last up to 8 minutes, and display the █ █ █ █ band's songwriting abilities. Songs such as The Sacred Eye █ █ █ █ contain a nice balance of speed, brutality and █ █ █ █ technicality, alternating between extremely fast segments █ █ █ █ to brutal, chugging and pinch-harmonic segments with ease, █ █ █ █ and all the stuff that are going on at the same time helps █ █ █ █ to ensure that not a single moment is spent wasted on the █ █ █ █ album, and it even seems that as the tracks get longer the █ █ █ █ more intense the songs gets, with one of the highest point █ █ █ █ on the album being on the 8-minute track, Divination. █ █ █ █ While obvious from the album artwork and the band name, the █ █ █ █ lyrics on The Tomb of Infinite Ritual revolve around █ █ █ █ Egyptian themes and concepts, with song titles like The █ █ █ █ Sacred Eye and Dieties of the Prime Evil Chaos, though █ █ █ █ unlike bands like Nile, these influences are only displayed █ █ █ █ through their lyrical contents, and their music is pure █ █ █ █ straightforward, face-ripping death metal. █ █ █ █ With Tomb of Infinite Ritual, Coffin Texts has proven that █ █ █ █ the last 12 years spent in various other projects and the █ █ █ █ writing of the album have not been in vain, and is a nice █ █ █ █ display of the result of their years of experience as █ █ █ █ musicians and songwriters. █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ It's been a long time since last we heard from California's █ █ █ █ Coffin Texts. Not to say the members haven't been active █ █ █ █ elsewhere, but 12 years have passed since the debut Gods of █ █ █ █ Creation, Death & Afterlife and I'm sure many had written █ █ █ █ them off as a lost cause. Yet the swans are not yet in █ █ █ █ song, and from what I'm hearing on The Tomb of Infinite █ █ █ █ Ritual, the trio is just as intense and destructive as █ █ █ █ ever. Coffin Texts were (and remain) another of those bands █ █ █ █ focused on an Egyptology theme, alongside Necronomicon from █ █ █ █ Canada and Germans Apophis, all of which were outgunned and █ █ █ █ outdistanced by the esteemed Nile, but had their own █ █ █ █ approach to the songwriting and lyrics that might have █ █ █ █ expanded their audience were it not for the various hiccups █ █ █ █ and obstacles that they faced. █ █ █ █ If I had to compare this sophomore directly to any one █ █ █ █ thing, it's more or less Altars of Madness on steroids. The █ █ █ █ acrobatic exchange of Richard Gonzalez' guitars with the █ █ █ █ dark brunt of Robert Cardenas' guttural vocal is highly █ █ █ █ reminiscent of Trey and David Vincent in the later 80s. You █ █ █ █ can hear a lot of the same contrasts in the atmosphere of █ █ █ █ the faster picked guitars to the darker growls. However, █ █ █ █ being that this is 2012, the drums hit even harder than █ █ █ █ Sandoval, there are numerous squealing, shifting and █ █ █ █ grooving embellishments derived from the ensuing decade of █ █ █ █ brutal death. Coffin Texts keep their compositions █ █ █ █ extremely busy, never giving the listener the opportunity █ █ █ █ to fall out of the rank mysticism of mummification and █ █ █ █ ancient warfare that their lyrics manifest. As old school █ █ █ █ as the riffs often seem, like the tremolo patterns, there █ █ █ █ is enough controlled chaos here to sate younger fans who █ █ █ █ demand a degree of technicality and aerobic. There are some █ █ █ █ slower, moody segments to the album like the closing █ █ █ █ moments of "The Sacred Eye" with their monolith chugging, █ █ █ █ or the lurching grooves deep in the run time of █ █ █ █ "Divination", but in general they like keeping the pace up. █ █ █ █ Much of the 'Egypt' feel is kept strictly to the lyrics, █ █ █ █ the spooky if dry intro and the sparse use of backing synth █ █ █ █ sounds to provide enhanced atmosphere at particular █ █ █ █ moments. In this they remind me of Nile, who also heavily █ █ █ █ favor the metallic elements over the potential ethnic █ █ █ █ instrumentation and distraction. You won't feel like you're █ █ █ █ wandering through a bazaar, avoiding the probing eyes and █ █ █ █ weapons of the Pharaoh's guard, but rather having your █ █ █ █ organs liquified and removed from you prior to being █ █ █ █ embalmed, or having your ass kicked in a wrestling match █ █ █ █ with Anubis. The Tomb of Infinite Ritual relies heavily on █ █ █ █ the tension and aggression of its layered textures of █ █ █ █ guitars and the unending battery of Emilio Marquez, who has █ █ █ █ performed with Asesino, Brujeria, Sadistic Intent and █ █ █ █ Possessed to name a few, and it shows. The production is █ █ █ █ dark and rich, reminding me of several Pessimist records, █ █ █ █ everything audible despite the murk created by the mixture █ █ █ █ of gruff vocals and frenetic guitar progressions. █ █ █ █ Ultimately, though, there are just not enough bands in the █ █ █ █ States who play with this style, and I think despite their █ █ █ █ absence, Coffin Texts do a rather knockout job here. It's █ █ █ █ not an incredibly memorable album, perhaps, but ample proof █ █ █ █ that the sarcophagi have cracked and their aged occupants █ █ █ █ seek to once more exact tyranny upon their inferiors. █ █ █ █ Welcome back. █ █ █ █ █ █ █░█ █░█ █ █ 1. Atum (Into the Divine Sphere) 0:54 █ █ █ █ 2. To Manifest 5:54 █ █ █ █ 3. Final Tranformation 4:47 █ █ █ █ 4. The Sacred Eye 6:43 █ █ █ █ 5. Divination (I. Soothsayer / II. The Invocate / 8:01 █ █ █ █ III. Eternal Oath) █ █ █ █ 6. Throne of Genocide 6:04 █ █ █ █ 7. Dieties of the Prime Evil Chaos 5:21 █ █ █ █ 37:44 █ █ █░█░ █░█░ █░█░ █░█░ █░█▒ + G R a v e W i s h + █░█▒ ░█▒█▒ - est.2000 - ░█▒█▒ ░█▓█▓░ ████▄▄ ▄▄▄████ ░█▓█▓░ ▒▓██▓▓░ ░██████████▄▄ ▄▄██████████▒ ▒▓██▓▓░ ▓█▓██▒▓██▒ ██▓ ▓██████████▓░ ▓██ ▒▄▄▓▒██▓█▓ ▓██▄██▓▄█░██ ░██▓ ▓██ ▄█░█▄▓██▄██▓ ░███ ████▀██░█ ░██░▀███████████▀▓██ █░██▀████ ███░ ▓██ ███ ▀█░█ ██ ░██ █████████ ░██ ██ █░█▀ ███ ██▓ ██░ ▀ █░█▓ ███ ▓█░ ███████ ░██ ███░ ▓█░█ ▀ ░██ ▓█░▄ ███ █▓█░ ░█░███ ▓█ ██████ ██ ███ ██ ░█▓█ ███ ▄░█▓ ░██░▄ ██░██▓█ █ ░█████ ▓█ █████ ░█ ████░ █ █▓██░██ ▄░██░ ▓███░▄ ███░█▄ ██ ░▓█████ █░ ████ ██ █████░ ██ ▄█░███ ▄░███▓ ░ ▀██░▀▀████░▓█▄ █ █░░▓█████ ▀█ ███ █░ █████▓░ █ █ ▄█▓░████▀▀░██▀ ░ ▒ ▀████▓▀███░██▄ ██ ░███ ░░▓█████ ███ ████▓▓░ ███░ ██ ▄██▓███▀▓████▀ ▒ ░ ▓ ███░▓█ ██ ███████ ░░▓▓░ ███ ░▓▓░░ ███████ ██ █▓░███ ▓ ░ ░ ░ ▀████PR█ ████████████████████████████████ █ ████▀ ░ ░ ░ ▓▓ █ ████████████████████████████████ █ ▓▓ ░ ▒ █ █████████ ░▓▓░ ███ ░▓░ █████████ █ ▒ ░ ██ █████░ ░▓████░ ███ ░███▓▓ ░█████ ██ ░ ██ █ ░████░ ▄█ ███ █▄░████▓░ █ ██ ░ █ ████▓ █░ █████ ░█ ▓████░ █ ░ █ ███▓▓░ █▓ █████ █▄ ▓███░ █▄ █▓███░ █▀ ██████▒ ▀█░ ▓███ █ ████▓░ ██ ███████ ██░ ░████ ██▓ ██ █████████ ██ ░██ █▓░ ██ ▄███████████▄░██ ░█ ██░ ░██ ██░ ▓██████████░ ▓██ ███▓██████▀▀ ▀▀██████████▒ ████▀▀▀ ▀▀▀████