Review / 200 Words Or Less
Coffins / XXX Maniak
The Cracks of Doom

Creeping Vine (2008) — Scottie

Coffins / XXX Maniak – The Cracks of Doom cover artwork
Coffins / XXX Maniak – The Cracks of Doom — Creeping Vine, 2008

To offend me takes special talent, talent that knows no boundaries to how far the one can push idea of indecency. People who believe there is nothing sacred, no subject matter too taboo that they cannot molest it. These people play in the XXX Maniak. The cover art alone on this made me ashamed to have the CD in my house, but then hearing XXX Maniak's songs brought me shame to think it could be promising. Sexist porno/gore grind that makes AC look like a Tooth and Nail act. They'll certainly never play ABC No Rio. Napalm Death shakes their collective heads.

Coffins, who drew my attention to disc, offer little to nothing new on The Cracks of Doom. By little, I mean the title track, "Cracks of Doom," which only a completest would long for, treading the same path of most of their other releases. Slow, heavy, sludgy by way of dirty distortion: we've heard it before, but better. By nothing new, I mean a cover of Cathedral's "Ebony Tears." Not straying too far from the original, the track only serves to show new listeners where Coffins got their influences.

Waste of money, and waste of time, period.

4.0 / 10 — Scottie • February 25, 2009

Coffins / XXX Maniak – The Cracks of Doom cover artwork
Coffins / XXX Maniak – The Cracks of Doom — Creeping Vine, 2008

Recently-posted album reviews

Softjaw

Love Can't Kill You
Bachelor Records, Dandy Boy Records (2026)

I already wrote about these dudes in my mid-year top 5 since Oakland’s Dandy Boy Records released a compilation of their early digital singles back in April, and here they are following it up with a 12-song album of all new material! This second release proves Long Beach’s Softjaw have a masters in powerpop from the school of rock. I’m … Read more

Fontaines D.C.

Dopamine Chamber
XL Recordings (2026)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS – “Tongue”, “Where Is Gone?”, “You Miss Me”, “Japan”If you’ve been here from the start, Fontaines D.C. will always conjure up gritty, political poetry and clashing, driving rhythms. Third album Skinty Fia, the defining breakthrough moment and fan favourite, gave them their first number one record in the UK and Ireland in 2022 – but can they improve … Read more

DeeCracks

True Nothing
Pirates Press (2026)

Let’s get crazy and out of control! That’s what the opening line of the album instructs us to do and I’m inclined to listen. I am new to the DeeCRACKS party and I’m not sure how I missed them. Celebrating 20 years in 2023, the band released 20 Years. A Frantic Effort, and I’m sure this newest release fully delivers … Read more