Caixão (“Coffin”) boldly inserted itself into the consciousness of the underground with the release of the otherwise untitled “2020 Demo.” Hailing from Portugal, Caixão is entirely the work of one man, referred to as JG, also known for his superb “Fall to the Idol” zine. Caixão’s debut album, like the demo, exhibits sophisticated composition and musicianship, as well as a staggering breadth of influences deftly woven together to achieve a sound both novel and rapturous. One hears in Caixão the Mediterranean majesty of bands like Varathron, Rotting Christ, Zemial, Kawir, early Moonspell, and Mortuary Drape; the tropical occultism of Mystifier; the hypnotic northern coldness of Beherit and Black Crucifixion; and the outsider unorthodoxy of Master’s Hammer, Root, and Sigh. For those who previously overlooked the band, this album should earn Caixão the accolades it rightfully deserves.