December 2005 Released: 2003, Self-released Rating: 4.0/5 Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen website: http://www.metal-rules.com/ The following has been ripped out straight from this US-based Concrete Coffin's bio: "The band with its new line-up strives to create a brutal & aggressive 80´s style metal/Thrash music that is catchy, modern & here to stay. The band wants their music to be an ultimate blend of the sounds of the early 80's metal bands like Slayer, Exodus, Vio-lence, Kreator, Metallica, and Megadeth that they were influenced by. The band is annoyed by the lack of musical talent and song writing ability in the current world of metal, especially in the "Nu-metal" and "Death Metal" category. Concrete Coffin is here to prove to the metal fans that old-school 80´s Thrash Metal music can still have a relevant voice in the present world of metal...". Now all that sounds like you feel an urgent inner need to check out how they sound like, don't you? I mean, if you are a fan of the 80´s Speed/Thrash Metal, of course...! But the guys of Concrete Coffin really do know what's their cup of tea as far as their main musical influences are concerned. They have stuck with the 80´s Thrash Metal so heavily and yet in such an effective way that you actually may think Concrete Coffin was formed during the hottest times of the 80´s. At a time when such names as Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus, Kreator and the likes were basically on every speed merchant's and thrash banger's lips. The band's music isn't that far removed from their main influences either. There's a fair amount of Slayer, Vio-lence, Exodus and I would say, even Celtic Frost is in their sound (especially in slower parts). So at least you should know what you are going to get. The riffs on this 4-song effort are, for the most part, very catchy and crispy. This is the way I want to hear ´my Thrash´ to be played in the first place. The first song "Stoned to Death" shows loud and clear what Concrete Coffin is capable of offering for metalheads: Pure, strongly 80´s flavored Thrash Metal which they are really good at. The 3rd song, "Concrete Coffin", does just the same by bringing back shitloads of good memories from the 80´s Speed/Thrash Metal scene. Good, all-round catchy and relatively sharp riffs dominate the song and the band overall seem to have a really good vibe going on in this particular song, too. As for the rest of two songs on this 4-track offering, "Betrayel" and "Deathshake", both of them are good, slow-paced Thrash Metal songs with some well-churned out, heavy riffs in them, too - although I gotta admit that I still prefer their two other faster tempo songs, just being overall a fan of a faster type of Thrash Metal. According to an email of the band's vocalist Joe, their new songs are supposed to be more aggressive and faster, so my prayers have been answered, I guess... ;=) Concrete Coffin is for everyone who lost/sold/left/whatever...! his/her heart for the ´80s Thrash Metal. And even if you didn't, well, you should still check them out because I told you so.