Album of the Month: Coldburn – Down In The Dumps

Based in Leipzig, Germany, Coldburn plays fast hitting hardcore with old-school feel to it. After releasing The Harsh Fangs Of Life in 2012 and touring through Europe and the UK like there is no tomorrow, they are back with their second full-length Down In The Dumps on BDHW Records. ‘Lingering Death (Melancholia II)’ and ‘No Need’ were the first tracks of the album to be released and they definitely set the tone for the rest of the album.

The opening track ‘Wish I Could’ is a heavy, groove orientated track with a slow break at the end. Vocalist Johannes Bötge has these fast and aggressive vocals that really fit this style of hardcore and it makes you want to move and sing along. This track really gives you a good idea of what to expect from the German hardcore outfit. The third track ‘Heavy Lies The Crown’ is a super heavy and fast paced track that reminds of No Warning, Cold World and Terror. The lyrics make this song stand out: “No one gets in, I will never get out. Nothing will ever bring me down. Call me king, heavy lies the crown.”

But Coldburn brings something extra to the table with Down In The Dumps. ‘Burial Hill’ for example, has a dark or melancholic vibe to it because of the melodic singing chorus: “Let’s build a burial ground. Burn all our answers, to find more questions (to which) we can’t reply.” It adds a layer into the song and keeps it from getting repetitive. Track five ‘No Need’ is definitely one of the better songs on this album and will have you diving off the stage in no time. It changes tempo from fast riffs to a slower sung chorus and a heavy bridge, and would sound perfectly at home on a Cruel Hand album. Speaking of Cruel Hand, the bands vocalist Chris Linkovich has a guest spot on ‘Lingering Death (Melancholia II)’ and his characteristic voice fits in perfectly with Bötge’s angry and heavy vocals. ’Lingering Death’ is the heaviest song on the album with thrashy riffs and drummer Jonas Lehnert’s groove filled drumming and fills.

The second half of Down In The Dumps is nothing to ignore either. Tracks like ‘Fountain Of Fantasy’, ‘Letdown’ and ‘Twentytwo’ show why Coldburn is one of the best European hardcore bands today. They sound a bit different, darker perhaps, than on The Harsh Fangs Of Life but still have that no nonsense mentality they’re known for. Track seven ‘Ill’ has one of the heaviest breakdowns that you will find on the album, mostly because of Bötge’s screaming: “You had put me in my place and I didn’t know where to stand. Still I feel no thrill and I still believe that life is ill.”

Coldburn has worked hard to get where they are at and Down In The Dumps is the proves of that. The German hardcore outfit made a lot of right choices with this record. It mixes straight in your face hardcore with a dark and melancholic vibe and the singing really keeps it different and interesting. Down In The Dumps will do good in a live setting and you should check them out while touring through Europe with Cruel Hand, Nasty, Desolated, Lionheart and more.

Track list – Down In The Dumps:

1. Wish I Could
2. Burial Hill
3. Heavy Lies The Crown
4. Scour The Rust
5. No Need
6. Lingering Death (Melancholia II)
7. Ill
8. Fountain Of Fantasy
9. Twentytwo
10. Letdown