AMG Goes Ranking – Suffocation

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

Long Island, New York death metal legends Suffocation need no introduction. But for the handful of poor souls ignorant to the band’s enduring power across multiple decades, I’m here to provide one anyway, as we delve into another exciting installment of AMG Goes Ranking. Suffocation emerged in the late ’80s, honing their craft in the dankest corners of the underground as death metal began to take an iron grip on the emerging extreme metal scene worldwide by the early ’90s. In a nutshell, Suffocation took the key ingredients of the early death metal sound and juiced it to the max with a new level of technical precision and raw, guttural brutality.

The original recording line-up consisted of guitarist Terrance Hobbs (the only remaining original member in the band’s current incarnation), drummer Mike Smith, vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarist Doug Cerrito, and bassist Josh Barohn. Together they unleashed 1991’s monumental Human Waste EP, pushing the death metal genre into more brutal territory than ever before, basically pioneering a subgenre now commonly played and referred to as brutal death. As Suffocation built from the raw slab of stabbing brutality that was slathered over Human Waste, on subsequent ’90s milestones, including 1991’s Effigy of the Forgotten and 1995’s Pierced from Within, they incorporated an increasingly sharp technical edge to complement their intense, spine snapping brutality and unique, instantly recognizable sound.

After going on hiatus after 1998’s Despise the Sun EP, Suffocation re-emerged on 2004’s Souls to Deny and commenced a second career phase extending to their current revamped incarnation. Regardless of obstacles, line-up shuffles and changing trends, Suffocation remained true to their core values and continued to release quality material across multiple decades. Now with their ninth album, Hymns from the Apocrypha, in the can, marking their first LP in over six years, and first ever without Mullen on vox, it comes the time to dredge back through the intimidating and uncompromising decades’ worth of Suffocation material and put our ranking skills to the ultimate test. Strap yourselves in…

Please note… After extensive, heated round table discussions, we made the decision to break from ranking tradition and include Suffocation’s EP material in the official rankings, due to their lasting significance in the broader Suffo canon.

– Saunders

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Saunders

Like many a metalhead, Suffocation is a band close to my heart. After whetting my appetite for more extreme and deathly pleasures with various other legacy acts, Suffocation introduced me to the darker, more technical and relentlessly brutal throes of their signature sound. After absorbing their classic ’90s catalog I have followed their career closely since. And despite perhaps lacking the front-to-back consistency of some other legacy death metal acts, they rarely disappoint and continue to break through the barriers of wearying age and line-up shuffles…. Not to mention they are bonafide legends and pioneers of brutal, technical death metal not to be fucked with. Despite variations in quality, Suffocation don’t make shit albums, boasting a formidable canon, making for a tough gig to assemble the ultimate listing, but here goes…

The Ranking:

#10. Blood Oath (2009). I may have minor beefs with particular albums, but even lesser Suffocation offers something worthwhile, and I would argue even when not always operating at their peak, Suffocation hasn’t thrown up any worthless duds. This brings us to the lowest ranked of the Suffocation repertoire, 2009’s Blood Oath. To be honest I can’t quite put my finger on what it is I struggle with on Blood Oath. As usual, the musicianship is top-notch, and the album doesn’t find Suffocation making drastic changes or daring risks to their concrete formula. However, there is something lacking in the songwriting, and despite a warmer, improved modern production and a particularly noteworthy performance from Boyer on bass, the whole package blazes by and leaves an empty feeling. It’s by no means a bad album, and glimpses of inspired material (“Cataclysmic Purification,” “Dismal Dream,” “Come Hell or High Priest”) crop up amidst the less impactful material. Blood Oath has its moments but is otherwise inconsistent and lacks a decent, cohesive flow.

#9. …Of the Dark Light (2017). Although it made little impact on me on initial release, I have grown to enjoy …Of the Dark Light more in subsequent years. Criticisms are valid, the material is fairly stock modern Suffo and is not overly exciting or inspired. It followed the entertaining Pinnacle of Bedlam but failed to deliver the level of songwriting quality or standout tracks of its predecessor. The album sounds a little too clean and clinical, while the one-dimensional songwriting, albeit impressive in its fast, technical and brutal execution, results in a solidly enjoyable but somewhat hollow modern opus. …Of the Dark Light shines brightest on the bludgeoning title track, cyclonic punch of “Return to the Abyss,” and modernized, re-recording of “Epitaph of the Credulous.” Nevertheless, in the final wash-up, …Of the Dark Light is a merely solid, unexciting entry in Suffocation’s intimidating catalog.

#8. Souls to Deny (2004). Suffocation’s then long-awaited comeback album Souls to Deny, saw the return of original drummer Mike Smith, and was a big fucking deal when released in 2004. There is also nostalgia attached as the first “new” Suffocation album I encountered after absorbing their classic pre-hiatus material. But despite its flaws and underwhelming production, Souls to Deny offers some sweet action. Marking the dawn of a new era for the band, Souls to Deny feels like a fresh start, while carrying over the band’s signature characteristics, albeit in a more refined, modern form. The dry, somewhat muddy production lent a raw edge, but also sapped some power from a tidy collection of songs, that never threatened to outdo their unfuckwithable ’90s material. Nevertheless, the return of a legendary act was significant, and Souls to Deny never sounds redundant or unworthy of the Suffocation name. Mullen’s vocals are hoarse and urgent sounding, the technicality, finesse and brute force of axemen Hobbs and Guy Marchais added a touch of melodic, almost proggy nuance to otherwise trademark Suffo guitar traits. “To Weep Once More,” “Surgery of Impalement,” and “Tomes of Acrimony” are examples of the album’s finely crafted morsels.

#7. Breeding the Spawn (1993). Marred by its infamously dodgy production, Breeding the Spawn is a dark horse entry in the Suffocation canon. Saddled with sonic deficiencies, Breeding the Spawn remains a mostly enjoyable platter. The lo-fi, crappy production has a certain, muddy charm, but it also greatly hinders overall enjoyment of the album, taking the gloss off what is otherwise a strong collection of songs. The fact numerous songs have been re-recorded over the years is indicative of the band’s own dissatisfaction with how the album turned out. Yet to ignore Breeding the Spawn would be a grave mistake. Suffocation took the elements from Effigy and infused a more technical, knotty, and melodic edge, while retaining a tough as nails, furnace-blasting exterior on such wicked gems as “Breeding the Spawn,” “Marital Decimation,” “Prelude to Repulsion” and “Anomalistic Offerings.” Breeding the Spawn’s relentless energy, potent bass work from Chris Richards, and raw, unfiltered aesthetics set off an undeniable charm. However, the muddy, soupy production and mix neuters the guitars, muzzles the album’s power, and pushes the drums and vocals obnoxiously to the forefront of the mix. All making for a tough sell for regular rotations.

#6. Pinnacle of Bedlam (2013). A decade ago on release, Pinnacle of Bedlam blew me away and became one of my favorite modern Suffocation albums. It is fair to say I’ve cooled on that initial enthusiasm through the passage of time, yet it still remains one of their strongest post-millennium efforts. Again, I could quibble on the overly clean production choice, however, Pinnacle boasted a hell of a lot more energy, diversity, and memorability than Blood Oath. The slammy grooves hit harder, the riffs are catchier, while the album’s frantic, thrashy pulse, precision attack, and shrewd melodic bent elevated the album to the upper tier of modern Suffo material. There are some huge tunes littered throughout the album, which is also light on weaker material and tightly edited for maximum killing power. But the album also has great pep in its step, an explosiveness and vibrancy that makes the songs really pop, with highlights including statement opener “Cycles of Suffering,” the proggy, thrash-infused savagery of “As Grace Descends,” and gripping closer “Beginning of Sorrow,” featuring a classic, monstrously heavy Suffocation breakdown. “Sullen Days” even throws in an extended acoustic intro, before setting into a pummeling grind.

#5. Despise the Sun EP (1998). The final recording before their lengthy hiatus at the back end of the ’90s, Despise the Sun marked further line-up shuffles. Scene veteran Dave Culross (Malevolent Creation) manned the drum stool and the band transitioned to a cleaner, modernized sound, adding clarity, though perhaps sacrificing the endearingly chunky sonic heft and punch of Pierced from Within. Nevertheless, Suffocation penned a fierce and efficient EP that pulled no punches. Perhaps lacking some of the creativity and complex acrobatics of the trio of LPs that preceded it, Despise the Sun cuts a different figure, taking a bludgeoning, hard-nosed approach, while retaining the brutal, techy elements and unique sound that had already cemented Suffocation as brutal death legends and pioneers. Culross drives the assault with precise, hammering rhythms and uber-tight double bass, while on their last proper release together, Cerrito and Hobbs go out with a bang, courtesy of their violent, intricate, and rib-crushing fretwork. Throw in another typically inspired Mullen vocal performance and you are left with a potent mere sixteen-minute masterclass, containing such classics as the monolithic “Funeral Inception,” grindy, cavernous “Bloodchurn,” and the neatly upgraded version of “Catatonia” from Human Waste.

#4. Suffocation (2006). Suffocation’s second post-reunion album found the band crafting a more streamlined, crisper-sounding album, blasting the cobwebs out after the muted return of Souls to Deny. The production shift and the album’s varied, slower pacing and moody atmosphere offer a unique entry that stands out among its modern counterparts. Suffocation is crunchy, riffy, groovy and technical, yet retains the band’s signature knotty traits and blasty, thrashy intensity. To be honest, I didn’t expect this underrated self-titled platter to rank so high, but here we are. Suffocation balances their old school stylings with modern flair just right, and the album is both vicious and surprisingly nuanced, bolstered by a passionate, refined, yet still intimidating vocal delivery by Mullen. His seasoned cohorts backed up their frontman with top-shelf musicianship throughout densely packed, complex, and varied compositions, that are accessible, groove-laden, yet full of venom, heft, and a trademark, blasting, brutal edge. The devastating “Bind, Torture, Kill,” crushing weight of “Entrails of You,” and grinding, mammoth heft of “Redemption” offer snapshots of the quality within this gritty, versatile dark horse of the Suffo canon.

#3. Human Waste EP (1991). Arguably the birthplace of brutal death, Human Waste represents Suffocation at their most raw, visceral, and downright nasty. The crude, primal production has a rough and gritty lo-fi charm, adding to the EP’s grimy, unsettling atmosphere. Although lacking the refinement and technical sophistication of later works, there is something so incredibly satisfying and endearing about Human Waste all these years later. Despite several tracks being rehashed and re-recorded on Effigy, the unique feel and tone of the Human Waste originals stand out in their own right and offer a deliciously raw, caveman charm to their more refined counterparts. The bruising, steamrolling crush of the riffs, chest caving heaviness, and Mullen’s ragged, muffled growls combine to crush, kill, destroy on such rabid, violent classics as “Infecting the Crypts,” ominous slow build of “Catatonia” and gnashing, slicing riffs of “Human Waste.”

#2. Effigy of the Forgotten (1991). Perhaps the most widely regarded Suffocation album, hot on the heels of the grimy, bog beast of Human Waste, Effigy revamped several tracks from the EP, noticeably sharpening and refining their formula, while greatly increasing the scope of their songwriting and technical skills. Suffocation created a timeless masterpiece that remains one of the best and most influential brutal death metal albums, holding up remarkably well decades later. It’s a dark, subtly addictive, and relentless opus, an intricately woven slab of awesomeness that effortlessly careens through frequent tempo changes, complex, bludgeoning riffs, immensely powerful, creative drumming, and epic, smackdown grooves. Throw in Mullen’s classic, muffled growls and a fat bruising production job and you are left with an extremely heavy, well-crafted, and memorable masterclass of ahead-of-its-time brutality and technical prowess. The recharged versions of the Human Waste material take on a new life of their own, while savage, technical, and slammy classics like “Liege of Inveracity,” “Seeds of the Suffering” and “Mass Obliteration” highlight an album packed with timeless, brutal death essentials.

#1. Pierced from Within (1995). On any given day it can be a toss-up between the top two ranked albums. Both are genre classics and the benchmark for technically advanced brutal death in the ’90s. But the nod goes to Suffocation’s third LP, the unmatched Pierced from Within. This is a perfect headphone album to fully immerse yourself in the album’s thoughtful, intricately packed arrangements, and tar-thick crush of the outstanding dual guitar work and bass-heavy production job. Suffocation lifted their game to even more elite realms, upping the technicality and ripping through intricate, deceptively catchy compositions, once again deftly balancing complexity, slivers of melody, and guttural force, with tight, infectious riffing and gut-punching grooves. Everything fell into place, while the drastically improved production separated it from its sonically flawed predecessor. Pierced is loaded with wow moments, amazing musicianship, and one of the tightest and most gripping dual guitar performances on a brutal death album, with Hobbs and Cerrito in devastating form. Doug Bohn and Chris Richards created an immensely skilled and creative rhythmic backbone to level up the album’s technical stakes, while Mullen commanded the mic with a dominant, fiercely intense performance. Highlights chop and change, due to the album’s wall-to-wall quality and consistency, but make no mistake Pierced from Within is a stone-cold classic.

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Maddog

Suffocation was one of the first death metal bands I ever sampled, shortly after titans like Morbid Angel and Death. The feeling of hearing “Infecting the Crypts” for the first time has never faded. Suffocation’s classics strike a perfect balance between brutality and accessibility. Blending technicality with thoughtful breakdowns, Suffocation tracks are masterclasses in keeping riffs and tempo in constant flux. Despite their “brutal death metal” tagline, Suffocation is a rewarding listen even for newcomers.

This Thanksgiving, give thanks for Suffocation. Without their guiding light, brutal death metal might not exist; the output of bands like Cryptopsy and Dying Fetus might not have been the same. Without Suffocation, music wouldn’t slam, and deathcore might never have emerged. Without them, we wouldn’t have the greatest live death metal band.¹ Without them, death metal drumming wouldn’t be as unhinged, and death metal vocals wouldn’t be as feral. Most of all, without Suffocation, we wouldn’t have Suffocation. That’s reason enough for me.

#10. …Of the Dark Light (2017). …Of the Dark Light leans into the technical deathcore sound that had always loomed in Suffocation’s background. While I wouldn’t go as low as Eldritch Elitist’s scathing 2.0, his criticisms ring true.² The riffs here top most deathcore and are recognizable as Suffocation, but lack energy. Tracks like “Clarity through Deprivation” and “The Warmth within the Dark” lose focus through toothless riffs and repetitive chugs. Meanwhile, abrupt transitions on “The Violation” and the title track make …Of the Dark Light sound haphazard compared to earlier Suffocation. Still, there are glimpses of greatness. The deathcore bits hit hard when they’re well-written like the bludgeoning “Return to the Abyss.” The ending of “Some Things Should Be Left Alone” is a reminder of the spellbinding power of Suffocation’s guitar parts. …Of the Dark Light is a worthwhile use of 35 minutes, but it’s nowhere near Suffocation’s best work.

#9. Souls to Deny (2004). The band’s first release after splitting up and re-forming, Souls to Deny reins in Pierced from Within’s intensity. Souls to Deny is a good album, but it lacks the climaxes that define Suffocation. It’s a collection of competent riffs, nothing more and nothing less. Even the more popular songs like “Deceit” and “Souls to Deny” each have one or two solid ideas but don’t develop beyond that. The album’s abrupt transitions make it a less satisfying listen than the LPs that precede and succeed it (“To Weep Once More”). Even so, Souls to Deny has some bangers. Mid-album highlight “Surgery of Impalement” is infectious and rhythmically creative, and the powerful riffs of “Tomes of Acrimony” bring the album to a satisfying close. No track here deserves a place among Suffocation’s greatest, but Souls to Deny is a fun listen nonetheless.

#8. Blood Oath (2009). Blood Oath is a respectable misstep. After Suffocation’s voyage through every cranny of Suffocation’s sound, Blood Oath attempts the same with less success. “Pray for Forgiveness” demonstrates the technical side of Suffocation with gripping riffs and dominant drums, while crowd favorites “Blood Oath” and “Cataclysmic Purification” show off the band’s heft. Every song brings something to the table, but it sometimes isn’t enough. For instance, “Undeserving” thrives on its early melodies but loses focus, while the impressive solo work on “Provoking the Disturbed” leads into forgettable riffs. I struggle to find specific issues with Blood Oath, but it doesn’t steamroll nearly as hard as its neighbors. Give it a shot, but temper your expectations.

#7. Despise the Sun EP (1998). “Catatonia” makes this EP tough to rank. Re-recorded from Human Waste, Despite the Sun’s rendition of “Catatonia” features some of the most evocative fretboard wizardry in metal history, sandwiched between titanic riffs that exude deathbed desperation. Aside from some catchy sections of the title track, the rest of this EP struggles to keep up. “Funeral Inception” is an inauspicious start, weighed down by uninspired breakdowns and failing to ever take off. Much of Despise the Sun follows suit, with riffs that resemble Pierced from Within but without as much oomph. Still, “Catatonia” alone makes Despise the Sun a worthwhile listen. Trudging through four middling tracks is a small price to pay for one of the greatest death metal tracks ever recorded.

#6. Pinnacle of Bedlam (2013). Pinnacle of Bedlam’s consistent quality is stunning given the context. Released 25 years into the band’s career, Pinnacle is Suffocation’s first album after drummer Mike Smith re-departed the band.³ Despite these challenges, Pinnacle of Bedlam is a bulldozer. Operating at neither their slowest nor their speediest, Pinnacle unleashes a mid-paced assault. From the first moments of “Cycles of Suffering,” Suffocation lays down some of their most memorable riffs. Tracks like “Sullen Days” don’t remake death metal, but they tower over the genre through their strength and painstaking construction. Conversely, the segments of melodic beauty are a reminder of Suffocation’s creativity (“Pinnacle of Bedlam”). Pinnacle of Bedlam falters in its second half, and the loud clinical production holds it back from excellence. And yet, the album looms large among Suffocation’s later output. Happy Metal Guy smiles up from his graves.

#5. Breeding the Spawn (1993). Breeding the Spawn is a dark horse. Some maintain that it’s Suffocation’s greatest album, overlooked due to its infamous production.⁴ They have a point. Breeding the Spawn feels like a dry run of Pierced from Within, interspersing breakneck style changes (“Breeding the Spawn”) with crushing doomy riffs (“Marital Decimation”). Both extremes hit hard, and the playful interplay makes Breeding the Spawn one of Suffocation’s most fun albums. Highlights like “Ignorant Deprivation” illustrate Suffocation’s unparalleled ability to meld disparate styles. Breeding the Spawn has the misfortune of being flanked by classics. While still strong, the riffs here are neither as explosive as predecessor Effigy of the Forgotten nor as berserk as follow-up Pierced from Within. Meanwhile, the muddled guitar sound weakens the record, and the thin bass dominates the mix. Even so, Breeding the Spawn is a triumph. If you’re new to this album, give it a shot. You may find yourself in an unlikely love affair.

#4. Human Waste EP (1991). Human Waste ranks among the worst-produced music I’ve ever heard. It’s crackly enough to deserve a Rice Krispies sponsorship (“Jesus Wept”), the drums dominate the mix and sound like paper plates (“Human Waste”), and basement demo vibes abound. Most of the tracks here were re-recorded for later releases, and the re-recordings outshine Human Waste in terms of both their content (notably “Catatonia”) and their production. And yet, as Steel said of this debut EP, “I love that shitty thing.” Human Waste showcases a rough draft of the sound that Suffocation would develop over the 1990s. The riffs are speedy and indomitable, and the frantic sound is unique among Suffocation’s output. Most impressively, the stellar songwriting makes it difficult to believe that this was the work of college-age kids (“Infecting the Crypts”). I return to this maelstrom even more frequently as the years go by, and I hope I never stop.

#3. Suffocation (2006). Suffocation fulfills the broken promise of Souls to Deny. Suffocation’s fifth full-length blends the measured pace of their later work with both the intensity and the hulking riffs of their classics. The result is the band’s most underrated record. The all-time great songwriting on opener “Abomination Reborn” delivers barnburner riffs, a crushing chorus, and a gorgeous extended guitar solo in under 4 minutes. After setting this sky-high bar, Suffocation delivers. “Misconceived” and “Entrails of You” are clinics in integrating breakdowns that shift the mood without skimping on energy. Meanwhile, the mid-album twofer “Translucent Patterns of Delirium” and “Creed of Infidel” lay down rhythmic riffwork that stands apart from Suffocation’s usual specialties. While the back half of the album has room for improvement, Suffocation accomplishes what few OG bands ever do: rivaling their best work without regurgitating it. Suffocation sounded colossal to me as a dumb teen, and it has stood the test of time.

#2. Pierced from Within (1995). Putting this in second place feels criminal. Pierced from Within is a singular portrait of Suffocation at their fiercest. Aided by the production, Terrance Hobbs and Doug Cerrito’s razor-sharp riffs are at once unforgettable and soul-piercing (“Torn into Enthrallment”). Suffocation’s rhythmic experimentation peaks on Pierced from Within, with hectic tempo changes galore (“Suspended in Tribulation”). Despite the departure of iconic drummer Mike Smith, his replacement Doug Bohn pulls more than his weight. Indeed, few drum performances in metal history hold a candle to Bohn’s pummeling on the monumental “Brood of Hatred.” On the flip side, Pierced from Within’s death-doom sections slow down to a crawl without abandoning their violent directive. Frank Mullen’s vocals are a treat, adding unexpected depth to a genre known for its thoughtless gurgles. Above all, Pierced from Within wows with its cohesion and consistency. Suffocation’s versatility shines through highlights like “Thrones of Blood,” where the disparate elements of their sound merge into irresistible oblivion. No song here misses the mark. From the furious opening title track to the closing cover of “Breeding the Spawn,” Pierced from Within is a treasure.

#1. Effigy of the Forgotten (1991). Effigy of the Forgotten is one of the greatest debut records I’ve ever heard, rivaling classics like Bergtatt, In the Nightside Eclipse, Black Sabbath, and Madonna. Effigy’s classics speak for themselves. The mighty breakdown on opener “Liege of Inveracity” single-handedly spawned the genres of slam and arguably deathcore. “Infecting the Crypts” and “Jesus Wept” house two of the hookiest riffs ever written. Drummer Mike Smith slays through both his ballistic bass drumming (“Seeds of the Suffering”) and his melodic fills (“Infecting the Crypts”). Even the second-rate songs on Effigy are fantastic. “Reincremation” is a chainsaw to the cerebrum, in contrast with the joyous riff-fest of “Mass Obliteration.” Effigy retains the raw energy of the debut EP Human Waste, but boasts much better production and more maturity in its songwriting. Suffocation’s strengths come together with stunning fluidity, like on the fiery title track. While Pierced from Within comes close in quality, Effigy of the Forgotten’s iconic status broke the tie. In my eyes, this is the first full-length brutal death metal album ever, a landmark in early tech death, and a contender for the most powerful debut in metal history. Effigy is essential.

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Suffocation Primer Playlist…

Suffocation’s ninth full-length album Hymns from the Apocrypha released on November 3rd worldwide via Nuclear Blast Records.