Album Review: Penny Coffin – Transitory Fragmentation (Self Released/Wasted Existence)

Scottish death metal band Penny Coffin will release their debut album, Transitory Fragmentation, on 6th November.

Penny Coffin are a Scottish four-piece drawing on various influences from across extreme metal, with a sound built around sinister riffs, caustic drumming, suffocating vocals and dark guitar atmospherics. The band have built their reputation in the underground death metal scene since their first physical release in 2022, followed by the Conscripted Morality EP in 2023 and a pair of singles in 2024. Now, Penny Coffin are preparing to release their debut full-length album, Transitory Fragmentation, on 6th November via a self released vinyl, and a CD release through Wasted Existence.

Penny Coffin are a new band for me, so I’m excited to check them out and, based on the intro where they describe themselves as death metal from the extreme corners of music, I’m expecting some pretty nasty stuff. Man, do they deliver. From the opening notes of Murder Music, you are instantly smacked around the face with a sledgehammer of aggressive music. Harsh riffs, blasting drums and squealing lead guitars go for the attack before the vocals join in, dark and sinister. They are so buried in the mix that it takes me a second to realise they are vocals and not some other instrument. A creepy slowdown in the middle leads into a devilish solo before the tempo slows down and gets a bit stompy. It’s a strong opener, just not for the faint-hearted.

Mass Grave Forced Internment brings some serious catchiness in its intro with quick-tapping drums and a headbanging rhythm. It’s a feast of mean riffs and dark tones, with vocals that are extremely demonic and distorted, which I think is what makes Penny Coffin stand out from the crowd. Not the vocals themselves exactly, but more the use of them within the mix. Musically, it’s faultless, with wicked drums, riffs and lead guitars in a song that’s engaging and flows well. The vocals bring it all together, adding the extreme bit to the death metal.

Crimson Storm brings more excellent drum and riff work, instantly grabbing you with catchy beats and upping the tempo a bit. It’s music that you want to pit to, and that you probably should gurn to as well. I love the screaming solo here, and the extended outro with its stomping beat is fire. Redacted 1 is a bit of an intermission, with a tapping beat and some effects and samples, before Siege of Antiquity takes over.

The intro fades in and, unsurprisingly by now, is an excellent and catchy collection of wicked drums and riffs. It’s another heavy track with some seriously sinister vocals and a little bit more of a chaotic feel in the verses. That just adds more darkness to the overall vibe, and the continued use of having the lead guitars scream in and out of the darkness is exciting and offers a really cool contrast in tone.

Penny Coffin are clearly much more than just blasting heaviness. Something you would have realised by now, but if you haven’t, you will during Biological Sentient Horror, with its atmospheric choirs leading us into the song. Okay, yes, after that it is blasting heaviness, but these little flashes of variety really help to keep Transitory Fragmentation fresh and flowing. Goma drops the pace for a chunky, bass-heavy start, with slow, thumping drums and melody adding another layer of threat to the growing sound. It’s heavy stuff and so well written. The songs are all so well crafted, with every instrument, every note and every vocal having its place and coming together perfectly. You really feel Penny Coffin pay attention to detail.

Nearing the end of Transitory Fragmentation, we still have time for some more blast beats and riffs. Bones Broken Glass has plenty of energy, with some really cool riffs and a fast, aggressive drum display. Those demonic, harsh vocals continue to spit fire and fury from the back of the mix, while lead guitars break things up at just the right times. Industrial God Complex is the last full song here, and it’s a long one at over seven minutes. Seven minutes of blasting death would be too much, but Penny Coffin have already shown they have more to them than that, easily filling the runtime and keeping things interesting with all their considerable skills.

Slow, chunky starts transition into glorious yet sinister lead guitars before stomping riffs take over and get our heads moving. The drums are fire, the vocals filthy, and the song heads into even more extreme territory without ever losing the rhythm. Even as the vocalist threatens to open up a portal to hell with the nastiness of those sounds, the riffs and drums keep driving things forward. The solo is awesome, and the move to a slower, deeper tone is smooth and clever. The build back up, with tapping drums and riffs alongside abstract melody, creates a truly dark and sinister sound that’s also completely hypnotising.

Transitory Fragmentation closes with Redacted 2, an outro similar to Redacted 1, using atmospheric samples and harsh noises to see us out.

Transitory Fragmentation is a really strong album. It is very heavy but has catchiness too, with well-written songs, great flow and plenty of variation in tone, pace and other creative moments. Penny Coffin clearly have talent and, while this isn’t for the faint-hearted and the vocals may not be for everyone, this is seriously good death metal from a band that are worth keeping an eye on.

Track List

1. Murder Music
2. Mass Grave Forced Internment
3. Crimson Storm
4. Redacted 1
5. Siege of Antiquity
6. Biological Sentient Horror
7. Goma
8. Bones Broken Glass
9. Industrial God Complex
10. Redacted 2

Penny Coffin Links

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