C.O.F.F.I.N

Australia has a seemingly inexhaustible supply of rough and rowdy rock & roll bands, and C.O.F.F.I.N proudly follow in this great tradition, cranking out loud, guitar-centric music that splits the difference between burly hard rock, doomstruck metal, and wiry old-school punk. Formed when some of the members weren't even in their teens, C.O.F.F.I.N started out as a frantic four-piece on 2014's Spring Break at the Asylum and expanded to a quintet for 2020's Children of Finland Fighting in Norway and 2023's Australia Stops. Despite their hard-partying image and irreverent attitude, C.O.F.F.I.N also have a noticeable progressive streak, often speaking out in support of First Nation issues and against racism and homophobia. Hailing from Sydney, C.O.F.F.I.N first formed in 2005, when drummer and lead singer Ben Portnoy and guitarist Arthur Flanders were only 12. The two friends loved rock & roll and skateboarding, and spent their weekends hanging out and pranking others. When Laurence Adams, an older school friend, told them he was setting up a gig with the Hard-Ons at a local youth club, Portnoy and Flanders told him they played in a punk band, and Adams gave them a spot opening the show. In less than a month, Portnoy and Flanders threw together a band, learned enough songs to fill a set, and played their first show with one of their favorite bands. After Abijah Rado joined on lead guitar, the band was trying to scare up gigs though they hadn't settled on a name just yet, and when Rado asked about playing a show at an all-ages performance space, he was asked what his band was called. Off the top of his head, Rado said, "Children of Finland," and they realized they were stuck with the name. In hopes of making it sound cooler, the young band expanded their moniker to Children of Finland Fighting in Norway, which they could abbreviate as C.O.F.F.I.N. C.O.F.F.I.N had a solid lineup with the addition of bassist Will de Monchau, and after a few years of playing out and refining their sound, they issued their debut recording in 2010, the self-released and punk-leaning 16-song set Under the Influence. Their second full-length, Spring Break at the Asylum, arrived in 2015. A beefier sounding four-song EP, On the Gronk, followed a year later, and the group's reputation grew through frequent live work. By the time C.O.F.F.I.N cut their third album, 2018's Piss-Up, Will de Monchaux was no longer their bassist (though he played keyboards on the sessions), and Laurence Adams, who had helped Portnoy and Flanders land the gig opening for the Hard-Ons, took over on bass. They also added a third guitarist, Aaron Moss, giving them an even more powerful attack. In 2019, C.O.F.F.I.N released a three-song single, Be Gone, as well as a limited-edition cassette, Live at the Leagues Club 15.06.18. 2020 was expected to be a big year for C.O.F.F.I.N., as their plans included releasing their fourth studio album and touring the United States as an opening act for Amyl and the Sniffers. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the tour and forced the band to spend much of the year off the road, but the album, Children of Finland Fighting in Norway, was a commercial and critical success that raised their profile at home and boosted their cult following elsewhere. In 2023, C.O.F.F.I.N issued their most accomplished album to date, Australia Stops, which became their first LP released in the United States, where it was released on Goner Records.
© Mark Deming /TiVo