Biography
Australia boasts an apparently endless roster of boisterous, high-energy rock & roll outfits, and C.O.F.F.I.N carry that lineage forward with their thunderous, guitar-driven sound that fuses muscular hard rock, ominous metal textures, and scrappy vintage punk. Some members were still preteens when the group coalesced; they began as a frantic four-piece responsible for the 2014 release Spring Break at the Asylum before expanding into a five-piece for both the 2020 album Children of Finland Fighting in Norway and the 2023 effort Australia Stops. Even while projecting a hard-partying persona and a cheeky outlook, C.O.F.F.I.N display a clear progressive bent, repeatedly voicing support for First Nation causes while condemning racism and homophobia.
The Sydney-based band came together in 2005 when drummer and lead vocalist Ben Portnoy and guitarist Arthur Flanders were just twelve years old. Bonded by a shared passion for rock & roll and skateboarding, the pair passed weekends skateboarding and playing pranks. When older schoolmate Laurence Adams mentioned arranging a local youth-club gig alongside the Hard-Ons, Portnoy and Flanders claimed they already belonged to a punk band, securing an opening slot. Within weeks they assembled a group, rehearsed sufficient material for a full set, and performed their debut show supporting one of their favorite acts. After Abijah Rado came aboard on lead guitar, the unnamed quartet sought bookings; when Rado was asked the band’s name at an all-ages venue, he spontaneously replied “Children of Finland.” The phrase stuck, so they lengthened it to Children of Finland Fighting in Norway, conveniently shortened to C.O.F.F.I.N.
With bassist Will de Monchau completing the lineup, the group spent several years honing its approach before issuing its debut recording, the self-released sixteen-track punk-oriented collection Under the Influence, in 2010. Their second album, Spring Break at the Asylum, appeared in 2015. The following year brought the denser four-song EP On the Gronk, and constant touring steadily built their audience. By the sessions for their third album, 2018’s Piss-Up, Will de Monchaux had stepped away from bass duties (though he contributed keyboards), Laurence Adams had assumed that role, and Aaron Moss had joined as a third guitarist, intensifying their sonic force. In 2019 the band issued the three-song single Be Gone and the limited cassette Live at the Leagues Club 15.06.18. Expectations ran high for 2020, with a fourth studio album slated and a planned U.S. tour opening for Amyl and the Sniffers; pandemic restrictions canceled the tour and kept the group off the road for most of the year, yet Children of Finland Fighting in Norway still emerged as a critical and commercial success that elevated their domestic standing and expanded their international cult following. In 2023 they delivered their most refined statement to date, Australia Stops, marking their first American release via Goner Records.
The Sydney-based band came together in 2005 when drummer and lead vocalist Ben Portnoy and guitarist Arthur Flanders were just twelve years old. Bonded by a shared passion for rock & roll and skateboarding, the pair passed weekends skateboarding and playing pranks. When older schoolmate Laurence Adams mentioned arranging a local youth-club gig alongside the Hard-Ons, Portnoy and Flanders claimed they already belonged to a punk band, securing an opening slot. Within weeks they assembled a group, rehearsed sufficient material for a full set, and performed their debut show supporting one of their favorite acts. After Abijah Rado came aboard on lead guitar, the unnamed quartet sought bookings; when Rado was asked the band’s name at an all-ages venue, he spontaneously replied “Children of Finland.” The phrase stuck, so they lengthened it to Children of Finland Fighting in Norway, conveniently shortened to C.O.F.F.I.N.
With bassist Will de Monchau completing the lineup, the group spent several years honing its approach before issuing its debut recording, the self-released sixteen-track punk-oriented collection Under the Influence, in 2010. Their second album, Spring Break at the Asylum, appeared in 2015. The following year brought the denser four-song EP On the Gronk, and constant touring steadily built their audience. By the sessions for their third album, 2018’s Piss-Up, Will de Monchaux had stepped away from bass duties (though he contributed keyboards), Laurence Adams had assumed that role, and Aaron Moss had joined as a third guitarist, intensifying their sonic force. In 2019 the band issued the three-song single Be Gone and the limited cassette Live at the Leagues Club 15.06.18. Expectations ran high for 2020, with a fourth studio album slated and a planned U.S. tour opening for Amyl and the Sniffers; pandemic restrictions canceled the tour and kept the group off the road for most of the year, yet Children of Finland Fighting in Norway still emerged as a critical and commercial success that elevated their domestic standing and expanded their international cult following. In 2023 they delivered their most refined statement to date, Australia Stops, marking their first American release via Goner Records.
Albums
Singles
