Bathed in themes of rancid death and gore, Coprolith was formed three years ago, and shortly after, they released their self-titled demo, which paved the path for these Canadians to emerge from the abysmal void. But one thing I am sure of is that you can never go wrong with Canadian death metal bands; Coprolith, however, aligns their music with the rotten style of Danish and Swedish death metal bands like Chaotian, Undergang, and early Grave.

The debut evokes spectral images, bringing unease from its opening moments, and a morbid sense of doom metal, setting a creepy atmosphere in the opening track “Sentenced to the Grave”. This is a quality death-doom album that oozes filthy, cavernous growls and brutal grinding drums coated with spectral atmosphere, showcasing a raw, monstrous sound. The guitar department spews septic filth, with the lead adding a perfect aura, backed by stomach-churning bass guitar; they deliver crushing barbarity.

The drumming is well-balanced and works in tandem with the grunts and growls, perfectly layered in the following track, “Putrescence”. The crushing weight of the drums is brutal throughout the album; even in the slower doom sections, you can hear the chunky bass and drums slowing the pace, unfurling a foul-ridden atmosphere, though the primitive concoction of old-school death metal reeks of utter disgust.

On the other hand, the songs gradually build a sheer death-doom style that at times reminds me of early Cianide. The lead guitar work is splendid, offering dark harmonies; reverbed heavy growls will chill your soul. The foreboding creepiness veers into dark, sludgy riffs. Tracks like “Defiling Incantation” bring you classic 90s death-doom. The slow riffing is grimy, while the doom sections provide a wall of sound that may somehow appeal to fans of Disma.

The dreadful dirges showcase a unique approach to funneling darker tones, while the riffing modulation carries low, drenched grunts and rotten tremolo. Uncompromising blast beats are entwined with heavy, monstrous riffing. All these grim elements are shrewdly displayed by these Canadian death dealers who elevate their craft as they slowly send out the dreariness of unspeakable death. You can hear influences from early Autopsy as well as other old-school brutal death metal that immediately haunt you on “Birthed by Remorseless Flames”.

The lead guitars focus more on creating a spectral aura, and they are emphasized on each track; they maintain the limbo of spectral doom and swampy death metal. This duality, however, engulfs you in eerie darkness; another notable feature is the chugging that keeps things brutal and morbid.

The drums utilize force on “Another Skull to Claim” and in the final track, “Possessed by Incoherent Violent Suggestions”, which is the most diverse song. The fitting snarl makes for an impenetrable wall of sound for a cacophony of riffing cocoon. The morbid cloak of darkness unravels its filthy layers in a slimy riff and blends into the brutal drum onslaught; effective blast beats keep this track brimming with interesting elements.

The closing minutes spew horrific dark atmospheres that seem to venture into the spectral dimension, perfectly illustrated by doom-death leads; all this makes for an eerie ending when the pace settles into funeral doom.

The production enhances the rotten classic sound of 90s death metal, and this is one of the album’s main features. The six tracks have many slow, doomy moments that would remind many of contemporary acts such as Morbific, Mortiferum, and Corpus Offal. This is, without a doubt, a high-quality release from these Canadians who perfectly employ the dreadful sound of death-doom and will meet your expectations.

“Putrescence” steps into the dark domains of death-doom metal, setting a chilling tone right from the beginning of this debut. This is one of my favorite albums of this year.

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