What do you get when you cross ABORTED, LENG T’CHE, WHEN PLAGUES COLLIDE and a lesser known but equally deserving of praise band named FLEDDY MELCULY? Well, we’re about to find out, as Belgium’s COFFIN FEEDER has taken members of these bands, heaved them into a woodchipper, and now – three years after the aural abuse of Stereo Homicide and Over The Top EPs – cranked out its debut long-player.

After a foreboding ‘There Will Be Trouble’, Big Trouble kicks in with the whirling, rusted circular saw blade that is ‘Porkchop Express’, the triple vocal attack of Sven and guitarists Jeroen and Bart already doing damage. This is rancid stuff, to be sure, but in a style separate from their “main” bands, more – dare I say – technical in execution. Speaking of execution, ‘If It Bleeds’ continues the onslaught, the quintet sounding even more fired up than on its previous work, which is no small feat. I’m not sure if it’s a bigger production budget, whathaveyou, but the result is undeniable and deadly, reminiscent of the few quality bands that stood out on those early Summer Slaughter tours in some ways.

‘Love At First Death’ is slathered with melodic riffing ala the Gothenburg scene, but again, amped up and do I hear a…keyboard in the mix?! I do, and it works, so fuck it. The bridge herein is a slow, dragging behemoth, and the more punishing for it. Still, it pales in comparison to the complete carnage that the double dropkick of ‘Get To The Party’ and ‘Let Off Some Steam’, both containing riffs that, while somewhat basic, use it to their advantage. Hey, any song that includes a classic Schwarzenegger soundbite is a hit in my book. Of note over the course of the album is the rhythm section of Jan and Sieb, not only bolstering but leading the charge, especially in the two previous attacks.

Is there Big Trouble? Is it happening in Little China? I can’t tell you that, but I assure you that during the just over 30 minutes of this banger, you’ll feel like there’s a war going on between your ears.
Review By: Lord Randall

COFFIN FEEDER
Big Trouble
Listenable Records