SUFFOCATION

Suffocation is the fifth studio album by American death metal band Suffocation. It was released in 2006 through Relapse Records. The song "Prelude to Repulsion" is a re-recording of the track of the same name on Breeding the Spawn (another song from Breeding the Spawn, "Anomalistic Offerings", was re-recorded for this album but is only available on the Japanese release). Music videos were made for the songs "Abomination Reborn" and "Bind Torture Kill".This self-titled album from Suffocation is very good. All the tracks are good, although I'm not as keen on the re-recorded version of "Prelude to Repulsion" as I still prefer the original version of the song from Breeding the Spawn. Like their other work, this album also relied on excellent low guttural vocals from Frank Mullen, along with very good guitar work from Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, very good bass work from Derek Boyer and very fast drum work from Mike Smith. Highly recommended.

These days I worry that the high standards of studio production and audio quality has managed to wring out a lot of the genuine aggression and bile that made extreme metal the vicious animal it was. How is it possible to counter this slickened effect without appearing unnecessarily "retro" and niche, even within the already rather niche market of extreme metal?Whether or not Suffocation considered all that while making this album is a moot point - a) Because they've done it, and b) Because it all just sounds like business as usual. Go into studio, record brilliant death metal record, release. Simple as that. It is very confrontational, incredibly brutal, constantly interesting and never unconvincing in its composition and performance. There are plently of skull-damaging blastbeats and an abundance of the kind of trademarked low-end shred riffs that inject life into the old-school style in the context of a modern, no-nonsense piece of work. It's certainly a better album than 'Souls To Deny', which sounds less immediate in the wake of this release, and it's even as good as the 'Despise The Sun' EP on a track-by-track basis. The rythmic elasticity and breakneck whole-band performance is a revelation compared with the virtuosic showboating of many 'tech metal' bands (naming no names). Suffocation are not and have never been out to impress people, although they do anyway. They're out to pummel. And this album pummels harder than they have in a long while."Redemption" showcases a tasteful, well-placed melodic intro and "Bind Torture Kill" is a catalogue of the band's diversity of speeds and guitar work, without lacking focus. From there on it's difficult to recall specifics - the intensity takes over. It's a dark shot of adrenaline.It can only be criticised for not reinventing anything per se, but they've DEFINED a style here with great style and aplomb, and it's certainly worthy of your attention.

I would have given this 4.5 stars but there is no option to do so. If you have read my other reviews you will by now know that I am a bit of a Suffocation junkie!! This is the 2nd Suffocation album since there comeback after a 6 year hiatus and they clearly demonstrate here that they can still deliver the goods. I think this album is slightly more technical than than "Souls to Deny" and not as catchy but it is still a solid release by these masters. My favourite track is The End of Ends but the rest are also damn good too. Not the best Suffocation album but if your like me Suffocation fans die hard!

I have reviewed a couple Suffocation albums and the challenge is describing their music without resorting to the usual cliches associated with death metal. Not that this self titled album ISN'T everything the best death metal bands have to have - superior musicianship, power, brutal riffing, etc. No, when reviewing a band like this, I find it necessary to listen for subtle differences to help recognize the work on its own merits. Here lately, although not in this case, the production gets more technical and we sometimes find it difficult to separate the instruments, especially when drums are overprocessed and make the hooks and riffs sink into the mix more than they should. On this album from 2006, Suffocation produced an album that may be the best overall sounding of their catalogue. While I love "Pinnacle of Bedlam" and "Of The Dark Light", their last two albums, I really like this album because the guitars are represented in a mix that makes their riffs stand out much better. Terrence Hobbs is the mastermind behind one of the country's best death metal bands and here we can really hear his great lead work and intricacy probably as well as any album they have done. Frank Mullen's growls are understandable, and the album is a bit longer, which is good because Suffocation doesn't tend to make very long CD's. Death metal when done properly is the high water mark in extreme music. Elements of thrash, some proggy elements here and there (sometimes) and the fury of rock and roll at its most rebellious while still retaining musicality is the calling card of death metal. To take it to the deathcore or metalcore levels is to sacrifice most of the time chops, songwriting ability and any semblance of hooks. For this reviewer, bands like Suffocation, their NYC brethren Immolation, and the old guard like Obituary, Autopsy, Morbid Angel and of course, Death, are the most powerful and crushing music can get. Black metal is close, but albums like this one are the ones that best represent the genre.

As soon as I heard this album my mind was completely blown. By the time the CD was over I was semi-conscious, on the floor, beaten senseless and bloody. Never was I pummeled so relentlessly and savagely. I'm afraid to press play on this one again.

Ob Suffocation nun weniger hart als zu effigy-of-the-forgotten-zeiten dahergekommen,sei mal dahingestellt. fakt ist, dass suffocation sich technisch versiert und unglaublichpräzise, aber niemals langweilig durch ihre platte metzeln. die songs sind komplex und rhytmisch vertracktaufgebaut, während melodieläufe unterschwellig dahinbrodeln und zur düsteren, beklemmenden atmosphäredes albums beitragen. mike smith liefert mal wieder einen genialen job, trotz seiner typischenblasbeats kommen die drums niemals langweilig daher, ganz im gegeteil.schnelle, brutale knüppel-passagen wechseln sich mit langsameren parts ab, wodurch dasalbum nicht überladen oder langweilig wirkt. zu guter letzt veredelt frank the tank mullen dieplatte mit seinem psychotischem,genial unmenschlichem gesang, der niemals deplaziert wirkt oder einfach alles überschreit,wie bei manch anderen todesblei-kapellen.das album braucht seine zeit, um verdaut zu werden; nachdem man sich aber etwas reingearbeitet hat,klingt es umso genialer. kaufpflicht! der preis einer solchen platte ist völlig gerechtfertigt.

前作"Souls To Deny"はオッサンの私にとってはSUFFOCATION復活という事実を確認するためだけのアルバムで楽曲自体にはそれほど興奮を覚えることは無かった。しかし今作はMike Smithのドラムの持ち味を最大限に生かし、楽曲もかなり気合をいれて作り込まれているので、初期からのファンも納得できる出来だと思う。ジャケはDan SeagraveからJon Zigに変わってしまったが、これがまたシンプルかつ凶悪で非常に素晴らしい。｢S｣のシンボルはグッドデザイン賞もんでしょう。さらにまたもや"BREEDING〜"アルバムからのリレコーディングで"Prelude To Repulsion"をやってます。むしろお前らアルバム丸ごと作り直せよと(笑15年間デスメタルを聴き続けてきたのは間違いではなかったことを確認できるアルバムです。

Fast delivery, very satisfied with my purchase.