Penny Coffin - Conscripted Morality

 Labels: At War With False Noise/Dry Cough Records/Macho Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 07 Apr 2023

Tracklist:

1. Ballistic

2. Predator

3. Slowdive

4. Conscripted Morality

I'm slowly making my way through write-ups about the latest releases from Mancunian doom/death label Dry Cough Records (in order of release according to bandcamp because I'm like that!). Conscripted Morality is the most recent EP to come from Scotland's Penny Coffin. It was self-released by the band digitally last April, alongside Dry Cough's tape version and a cd release from At War With False Noise. Later that month it received the vinyl treatment thanks to Macho Records. It's always great to hear what the current (and ever growing) crop of UK death metal bands are spewing out.

It’s been just over a year since Conscripted Morality was released, but a year is nothing really when you think about it. Opener ‘Ballistic’ gives off a bit of false hope initially (title-wise anyway) with a psychedelic intro before Penny Coffin launch into some proper riff-heavy, percussion-led brutality with the cruellest of vocal deliveries and melody that creates a whole different level of atmosphere.

There’s an unnerving undertone flowing through ‘Predator’, though it’s overridden by the groove-laden death metal approach that’s employed here. At times it borrows from modern brutal death metal (Gore House Productions/Unique Leader Records-type death) but it never strays too far from the old-school. I guess it could easily sit on either of those two labels but they’re only used as a reference. 

‘Slowdive’ uses Penny Coffin’s love for harsh noise to rouse and rile up those listening before another round of submission-like OSDM comes out fighting. The low register frequented by the vocals create a hellish vibe, yet when they give way and allow the instrumentation to take over, it feels like you’re in a different realm. Spacey, avant-garde guitar work and time signatures provide the perfect mid-section before Penny Coffin hit the loud pedal once again. 

Closing with the expansive title-track, Penny Coffin leaves you with so much to take in and process, not mentally but musically (and maybe even spiritually). Nearly eight minutes of extremity await in what is their most doom-heavy song on the EP. It shows just how good they are musically, from early intensity to comforting melody before repeated bludgeoning and all manner of warped majesty later on. 

I can try to paint a picture with words but it’s all futile in the end. Listening is one of the great qualities we possess as humans and taking time out to do just that can be transformative. The experience of listening to Conscripted Morality feels just the same. A fantastic EP that deserves to be enjoyed by any extreme metal maniac.

You can stream and purchase Conscripted Morality digitally, as well as a special tape pre-order from Penny Coffin below:-

Penny Coffin - https://www.facebook.com/pennycoffindeath

Physical copies are available from the labels below:-

At War With False Noise - https://awwfn.bandcamp.com/album/conscripted-morality

Macho Records - https://machorecord.bandcamp.com/album/conscripted-morality

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Macho Records - https://www.facebook.com/MachoRecordings