Endseeker Coffin Born EP Review
Endseeker
Coffin Born EP
Metal Blade Records
2026
German death metal stalwarts Endseeker have had an impressive go of things in their 15 years as a band. In that time, they've released 4 albums, 2 EPs (this latest being their second), did extensive touring, ruled stages at some of the biggest international metal festivals, and perhaps most surprisingly, they've done it all with the same lineup intact. These are no small accomplishments, and as much as I am sure their hearts are still in it, they have agreed to close this chapter of their lives with their swansong, the Coffin Born EP.
If you are unfamiliar with the brand of brutality Endseeker deals in, they are unashamed practitioners of HM-2-inspired Swedeath. However, they are not mere Entombed/Dismember clones. They do bear striking resemblance to both, but I feel Endseeker have a more pronounced hardcore punk feel (not unlike fellow HM-2ers, Trap Them), with some melodic and doom elements and a more simplified "death 'n' roll" approach. Lenny Osterhus's vocals are proper throaty screams, more on the higher end with some midrange, not unlike LG Petrov (RIP), with a bit more of a deeper timbre. The band (rounded out by Ben Liepelt – guitar, Jury Kowalczyk – guitar, Torsten Eggert – bass, and André Kummer – drums) self-produced this offering, with the drums being engineered by Eike Freese, and it's a thick, buzzsaw, bottom-heavy, guitar- and drum-forward affair that leaves room for every respective instrument in the mix. So, it's raw, but with enough clarity (especially for that guitar sound) to cut through, and nothing sounds muddy or lost.
We get all the Endseeker songwriting highlights here. Mid-tempo melodic chugs ("No After. No Before.") with a catchy chorus. There's a near-hardcore stomp on opener "Enemies of Peace" and its simplistic, held-out, power-chorded bridge and unrelenting speedy verses, careening into a downright heavy breakdown section that is tougher than a two-dollar steak. The title track plods along with a busy doom-inspired riff, a double bass-led verse, and another excellent catchy chorus. "Life Breeds Death" stands out for its dissonant chordal opening, eerie minor harmonized guitars, its crushing 4/4 time signature, and that fist-pumping chorus they have a knack for writing. Mind you, this is death metal, so you aren't gonna be singing along, but you will be bobbing your head and shouting with it. Endseeker are also ones who love all things cheesy and don't take themselves too seriously ever, as the closing David Hasselhoff cover ("True Survivor") would gleefully indicate. For as humorous as it is, they manage to heavy it up and make it listenable with some clean vocals punctuated with the growls. No offense to Mr. Knight Rider, but this version is immensely more enjoyable, even if it's done merely for the chuckles and WTF reaction it will inspire.
And there we have it, Endseeker are calling it a day while they are still performing and writing at the top of their game. There's no filler here, and every song showcases what has made them underground leaders. If you are new to them, start here, enjoy the quality brutish simplicity of their sound, and work backward and revel in the glorious chainsaw cuts of one of the best old-school-inspired death metal acts in the last 20 years. Sad to see you guys go, but what a bruising, macabre, and punishing legacy you leave....
RIYL - Entombed, Dismember, Vomitory, Asphyx, Benediction, Entrails, Obituary
~TB