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Suffocation (band)

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Suffocation

Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for the genre for the 1990s with their 1991 debut album Effigy of the Forgotten and released six studio albums since its formation.

The band's grindcore-influenced technical death metal style uses guttural vocals with a bottom-heavy guitar sound; complex, fast guitar riffs and drumming, and "sophisticated" sense of songwriting.

History

Suffocation was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York, comprising vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Doug Cerrito, bassist Chris Richards, and drummer Mike Smith. The band's first EP, Human Waste, was released through Relapse Records in 1991. The full-length debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten, was released by Roadrunner Records the same year and became influential in death metal and grindcore genre. After the following album, Breeding the Spawn, was released in 1993, Smith left the band and was replaced by Doug Bohn.[1][2]

The 1995 release Pierced from Within, which received substantially better production than the previous release,[3] was followed by extensive tours in Europe, Canada, Mexico and the United States. In 1998, Suffocation released the EP Despise the Sun via Vulture Records and disbanded soon after. The EP was re-released later in 2000 and 2002 by Relapse Records.[1]

Suffocation reformed in 2003 with Smith and in April 2004, Relapse Records released Souls to Deny. After the band played more than 400 shows in the United States and Europe including the Wacken Festival in Germany, playing to over 33,000 fans, Suffocation released their self-titled album, Suffocation, in 2006.[2] In 2007, the band was featured in The History Channel's promotional video for The Dark Ages documentary, playing the song "Bind, Torture, Kill".[4] In 2008, the band signed to the German Nuclear Blast Records[2][5] and released their latest album Blood Oath in 2009.[2] The release of a documentary film Legacy Of Violence is set for 2010.[6]

Musical style and legacy

Suffocation's technical death metal style is influenced by grindcore. The band uses "outrageously guttural vocals with a bottom-heavy guitar foundation, [...] blistering speed, unparalleled brutality and [...] sophisticated sense of songwriting, complex time changes and lead and rhythm guitar acrobatics".[7] With their debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten, Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for the genre for the 1990s,[7][8] retaining their typical style after the reunion in 2000's.[9][10][11] According to Allmusic, Mullen is one of the best vocalists in the genre.[3]

Discography

Members

References

  1. ^ a b John Bush, Suffocation at Allmusic
  2. ^ a b c d Suffocation history at official Suffocation MySpace
  3. ^ a b Leslie Mathew Pierced From Within, Allmusic
  4. ^ Suffocation: New Audio Interview With FRANK MULLEN Posted Online - Feb. 7, 2007, Blabbermouth.net
  5. ^ Suffocation Frontman Talks New Album - Mar. 30, 2009, Blabbermouth.net
  6. ^ a b Suffocation: 'Legacy Of Violence' DVD Preview Available - Jan. 8, 2010, blabbermouth.net
  7. ^ a b Eduardo Rivadavia Effigy of the Forgotten, Allmusic
  8. ^ Eduardo Rivadavia, Breeding the Spawn, Allmusic
  9. ^ William York, Souls to Deny, Allmusic
  10. ^ Greg Prato, Suffocation, Allmusic
  11. ^ Alex Henderson, Blood Oath, Allmusic
Official
Interviews
Live footage
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