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Guitar Player
(on our latest single, “The Heinous Mr. Hyde")
This is a picture-perfect soundtrack for a ’60s B-movie on youth run amok. Everything from the garage-y audio to the cheesy organ pads is period appropriate, but guitarist Viktor moves the proceedings beyond mere era emulation by unleashing a rude and vicious riff that would have made Link Wray smile.
Chart Magazine
(Toronto)
As a bona fide twang-instrumental junkie, I can say that i have never heard a band in the genre exhibit the pure heaviness of The Coffin Daggers. Most groups of this ilk, from Los Straitjackets to Jon and the Nightriders, always opt for a clean sound that is played quickly but without menace. Others, like The Mono Men, go for the cheapo lo-fi approach. Back in 1991, 16 Tons made the most metal-sounding, '50s-style instros around. But no one comes close to The Coffin Daggers when it comes to all-out intensity. Tracks like Psychonaut and Dr. Guillotine will stomp a mudhole into your fragile minds. Despite the fact that it's become quite cute to cover old rock chestnuts with twang, how many bands could take on the task of covering the enitre eight-minutes plus of Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive, crush your mind and still come out on top? not too shabby, eh?Shredding Paper
Debut from this NYC “horror surf” crew. This is very good dynamic surf with a darker feel to it, from folks who remembered to put a little drive into their playing (and that you can do so without necessarily having to break the speed limit) and more than a little effort into developing their material (something that not every surf band remembers to do). The eerier aspects of the final track promise good things for the future as well. Needless to say, recommended. DavidDelusions of Adequacy
The Coffin Daggers' self-titled debut begins with an explosion of in-your-face surf guitar rock dubbed "Psychonaut" and doesn't let up one ounce over the next 14 tracks. With wailing guitars, thunderous bass and drums, and the spookiest electric piano/organ this side of the Munsters, this New York band takes you on a little ride right back to the 60s. This album is an instrumental mix of original songs peppered with a few covers. It's clear the four-piece group takes a lot of cues from the masters that have come before and it would be impossible not to make a comparison to Dick Dale. Still, the Coffin Daggers are keeping the surf-rock torch lit with their own interpretations - and from the sounds of it are doing a mighty fine job at it.
While some instrumental albums tend to get repetitive and flat somewhere along the lines, you'll find enough tempo changes to keep you hooked. The Coffin Daggers work extremely well together and their sound is electrifying, but it's the tracks that give a little more focus to the organ, like "Forgotten Prisoner" and "Avenue X" that really catch my attention. The organ really gives these songs that spooky, horror movie feel that sets them apart in my mind. However, I'd be remiss to say that the purely guitar-driven tracks weren't outright smoking as well. Either way, both styles are perfect for parties or just as driving music while you cruise a dark highway.
I'm not quite sure how a band like the Coffin Daggers emerged out of New York, but they approach surf rock with intense passion and infuse it with energy I haven't come across in quite awhile. Fans of surf rock should already know about this band, but if you don't you should boogie right out and pick this up. The Coffin Daggers' debut is also solid enough that even if you haven't given surf rock a try in ages it's worth checking out. Many people don't seem to enjoy purely instrumental music, but this album has enough twists and turns that it could keep almost anyone's attention.
Coffin Daggers are instrumental rockin' surf garage punk madness. For me there are 2 very important things about instrumental surf - nice melodies and good playing. Coffin Daggers got them both - amazingly good musicians and great songs. It's perfect music to play in your car or at your wild parties, or even as movie soundtrack. Some songs would fit perfectly in Italian spaghetti western, some in martian sci-fi and others in some great 70s action movie. It's difficult for me to say which are my favorites. I think I prefer songs with organ just a bit more. Probably because they sound creepy and psychotic. Specially cover of Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive" - great spacey apocalyptic psychedelic surf - strange and weird - surf the way you never heard before!!
Alan Taylor
Pipeline Instrumental Review
#57 Autumn 2002
The Coffin Daggers are a four piece band with a big sound. Viktor Dominicis plays a dynamic lead guitar with Dan Terchek providing significant support and much variety on piano, organ and rhythm guitar. Solid, deep bass from Peter Klarnet and fiery drumming by Greg Clarke complete a mighty powerful package.
There are plenty of cases where such a combination promises much but fails to deliver due to weak material. Here the band’s original compositions are blessed with significant melodic content and some great arrangements. As I type this I am listening to a fine example in Sandstorm. Its moody melody is injected with feeling through tasteful playing courtesy of a fine arrangement. It’s the fifth original in a row, just in time then for something a little more familiar in the shape of Ike Isaacs’ The Rumble and Mike Maxfield’s Cruel Sea. These powerful versions are full of bite and energy yet retain all the feel of the Shadows and Dakotas originals. The two other non-originals are a driving Bombora from the Original Sufaris and a stunning 8 minute finale with Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive.
The Coffin Daggers retain a definite ‘60s feel without copying anything specific from that decade. If I had to place their sound it would be as if rock instrumentals had survived beyond the first half of the ‘60s. It’s easily accessible yet still highly rewarding and I highly recommend it to all guitar fans who yearn for something original in a ‘60s vein. In fact Pipeliner Robert Woods wrote: “I just had to drop you a line...It’s thunderous, everything a fourth Surf Report CD should be and as good a hard surf instro CD as the Torquay’s Somewhere In California is a good traditional surf CD, both are the best I’ve heard this year.”
From Phil Dirt's Reverb Central
(Four Stars)
This CD from New York's Coffin Daggers continues their aggressive rock approach to surf and related sounds. Hard driving, very well arranged and developed, and recorded direct to two track in studio. Great stuff.
Psychonaut Thick and chunky...a real rhythm grinder with dark textures, a surf link, a Link Wray rawness, and a menacing melody line. Some long notes, some double picking, grodie glissandos, and lots of meanness. Quite powerful.
Breaking Tide Dark rhythmic intensity, distorto piano chords, tribal tom toms, and ominous double picking add up to one mean track. Heavy duty and stormy.
Avenue X This cool tune sounds like a Los Straitjackets and Henry Mancini in a blender, swirled not shaken by Jake (Bomboras). Smooth, fluid, and very cool.
Dr. Guillotine Shredding on fast moving dangerous break close to the rocks...slices and cuts back at breakneck a pace. the break features incredibly cool piano bass and tom toms playing a haunting, tribal, and almost progressive masterpiece that climaxes in a very long silky glissando before crushing against the rocks. Magnificent! For short boards only.
Sandstorm is a strong instro with a heavy twang ethic. Dramatic and big. Not the Johnny and the Hurricanes tune.
The Rumble The Shadows' circular melody line...is a friendly basis for the Coffin Daggers art. Intense and full-bodied, it plays in childlike innocence, but with raw power and intensity. Excellent!
Cruel Sea ...a heavy handed treatment of the Dakotas' "Cruel Sea." The subtleties remain within the compressed distortion, and the surfability shines through. Quite a solid cover.
The Forgotten Prisoner This track is thematic, like maybe for spy adventure. It features a fluid melody line played with intense distortion and power.
Hornet's Nest Buzzy with vibrating distortion like hornets circling your lunch...dramatic and artful. While fairly simple, the piano ads a great deal to the mix, and the fluid power of the track cuts through the often subdued arrangement. Really cool.
Stella Vista '69 Big distorto twang and high energy drive the Coffin Daggers, and [this] certainly displays their straight ahead approach ...
Alhambra Lumbering and moody, big and throbbing...moves through vibrato shimmer and bass thunder, dramatic tango licks and intense rock tone.
Bombora The Original Surfaris' powerful ... is shredded with intense restraint. Thunder and plunder on the exotic waves of faraway places. the organ adds a surreal air to this strong track.
Seduction Of The Innocent Bouncy and rhythmic, circular and angular...
Stampede The Scarlets' infectious "Stampede," originally issued in 1959 and often covered by psychobilly bands, gets a new life under the picks and shovels of the Coffin Daggers. Just plain cool.
Interstellar Overdrive Not since Lawndale has Pink Floyd's
awesome "Interstellar Overdrive" been given the surf rock treatment. Chunky and rhythmic and dramatic, the Coffin Daggers make it hum with intensity.
La 442ème RueOn avait laissé les Coffin Daggers il y a un an et demi avec une démo 5 titres, les revoilà avec un vrai premier album. Pour lequel il leur aura fallu patienter un bon moment, puisque la chose a été enregistrés en octobre 2001, en 2 jours et 2 pistes. Pas besoin de plus pour canaliser toute l'énergie du groupe, pour capturer toute la spontanéité et l'urgence du surf tellurique des Coffin Daggers. Ils ne sont pas de la côte est pour rien. Loin des rouleaux parfaits du Pacifique, l'Atlantique n'a que ses tempêtes et ses sautes d'humeur à proposer à ceux qui voudraient le maîtriser. Du coup, le surf des Coffin Daggers n'a plus rien à voir avec la limpidité californienne, mais est beaucoup plus proche d'un exercice de style tout en force, en puissance et en combat de tous les instants. Physique, ce surf-rock'n'roll body-buildé l'est, aucun doute. Il y aurait même quelque chose d'un peu inquiétant, de sauvage, d'indomptable dans ces rythmes tribaux et hargneux, presque plus proche du garage des Trashmen que de la pop de Jan & Dean. Un surf urbain en quelque sorte, qui devrait se frayer un chemin entre les rejets d'égouts, les supertankers et les forces (sur)naturelles. Un surf extra-terrestre qui explose en apothéose dans la reprise finale du "Interstellar overdrive" de Pink Floyd, 8 minutes 35 intenses et ravageuses.
La 442ème Rue - 64 Avenue Georges Clémenceau 89100 SENS - (33) 3 86 64 61 28 - leo442rue@wanadoo.fr ou kpun@wanadoo.fr (webslave)
Alan Young
Trifecta RecordsIf you're wondering where all the great loud guitar bands have gone, look no further, [The Coffin Daggers’] new CD is the real deal. Ferociously angry, dark and bitter, cynical and mocking - and fun as hell. All this with no lyrics whatsoever. Punk attitude and sonics, virtuoso playing from everybody in the band. Remember Xmas is only, what, 180 days away?
Kim Massingil
XM Satellite Radio
I freakin' adore the Coffin Daggers. It's a sick, unrequited, maybe-gonna-stalk-'em adoration, and it's in no danger of letting up. Calling theirs surf music seems to be a diagnosis of elimination, but they don't shy from the label, so I won't. But still. Surf music? Surfing on the River Styx, maybe ... Launched three and a half years ago by Tom Jones, Jr.-looking guitarist Viktor Dominicis (formerly of Reagan Youth and Nausea), Coffin Daggers are an amalgam of Dick Dale, Nosferatu, and Jack Marshall (in fact, they did a smokin' rendition of The Munsters theme when I saw them last Saturday night at Desmond's). Instrumental Horror Rock, all Sex Waxed up.
Tsunami-terror tunes aside, this is no novelty band. "Amazing" is the best way to describe their live show (sorry to fawn). One can easily imagine the bar filled with sunburned noses and beehives in clam-diggers, a time trip made even more convincing by their affection for vintage equipment. So deep is this affection, that they traveled to Atlanta last year, to make their first album. Their aim was to record live on analog, without overdubs, and when they saw the equipment displayed on the website of the studio owned by Man or Astro-man? (like online porn for audiophiles), it was enough to lure them south.
"Viktor's like the gearhead in the band," says drummer Greg Clarke, "…and I guess he just fell in love with that list."
The self-titled debut effort will be out sometime in May, with original instrumentals peppered with a few classic surf covers, and standouts like "The Forgotten Prisoner," a whimsically horrific number that could raise the dead and have 'em dancing on their own graves. Eerie organ riffs transform "Hornet's Nest" from a speed surf piece into something scary, something that conjures up an image of Bela Lugosi hanging ten. "Avenue X" is a dark tease with a ghoulish groove. This haunted whorehouse soundtrack is pure jet fuel-infused zombie twang.SunsetStrip
Coffin daggers are a NYC based instrumental surf band. Although I wouldn't classify them only as 'surf' – they got much more to offer.
Band members don't seem much to care how they look. They certainly don't look like a surf band. That's cool. You can't even find a band photo in the booklet. That's cool, too. This is obviously not yet another ego-trip Fagstreet boy band.
Anyway, before writing any review on this web site, I usually listen to a CD/LP for some 15 or 20 times, in most cases. With the Coffin daggers, things were a bit different. Their music was (is) like a disease. The more I listened to them, the more I liked them. And after some time, I got to the point – I realized that this is one of the very best albums that I got my hands on recently.
I would decribe their music as 'psychedelic instrumental surf'. They sound psychedelic mosty due to organ. Therefore, all Ray Manzarek fans (there's many of you out there, I know) might dig this. This album (organ especially) sounds like it was recorded in 1969, not 2002. Soundstage is wide with a good sense of depth, sound is generaly on the dirty side. The songs and arrangments are energetic, creative, hot, seductive and unpredictable (to sound 'unpredictable' is prehaps the greatest compliment I could give to a band). The guy on organ is a genius, so are his playing and arrangments.
Unlike 90% of today's albums, this one was recorded live (not step by step), which is quite audible; that's why it sounds so energetic.
There's just two songs that I didn't like here: "Rumble" and "Stella vista '69" – they just didn't fit that 'psychedelic surf' story. They were just too much rockin'. And a bit predictable. And they lacked organ. I prefferd the Coffin daggers more when they played mid-tempo songs, up-tempo didn't suit them that well.
CONCLUSION:
I was sitting in the kitchen just the other night and thinking to myself – life is short, there are so many good bands out there that I'll NEVER have a chance to listen to. Therefore, I'm so happy that I discovered this extraordinary band and their beautiful music. This album is HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.