Suffocation (band)

Suffocation

Suffocation performing in January 2010 (from left: Hobbs, Boyer, Mullen, Marchais; Smith in the background)
Background information
Origin Long Island, New York, United States
Genres Technical death metal
Years active 1989–1998, 2003–present
Labels Relapse (1991, 1998, 2004–2007)
Roadrunner (1991–1996)
Nuclear Blast (2008–present)
Associated acts Mortuary
Website www.suffocation.us
Members
Frank Mullen
Terrance Hobbs
Mike Smith
Guy Marchais
Derek Boyer
Past members
Doug Cerrito
Josh Barohn
Chris Richards
Doug Bohn
Dave Culross

Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, 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 a sophisticated sense of songwriting.

Contents

History

1989–1998

Suffocation was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York, by vocalist Frank Mullen, bassist Josh Barohn, guitarists Guy Marchais and Todd German and Barohn's friend on drums. Guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Doug Cerrito, drummer Mike Smith, members of a local band Mortuary, that disbanded at the time, joined Suffocation and created a new lineup with Mullen, Hobbs, Smith, Cerrito and Barohn, influenced by fellow death metal bands and Napalm Death or Sepultura. Smith commented on meeting Hobbs for the first time: "That’s where I first noticed, "Wow, there’s another black guy playing this kind of stuff"."[1] The band's first EP, Human Waste, was released through Relapse Records in 1991. The full-length debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten, recorded by producer Scott Burns at Tampa's Morrisound Studios and released by Roadrunner Records the same year. The album became substantially influential in extreme metal music.[2][3][1]

After the following album, Breeding the Spawn, was released in 1993, Smith left the band and was replaced by Doug Bohn.[2][3] The 1995 release Pierced from Within, which received substantially better production than the previous release,[4] 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.[2]

2003 reunion–present

Suffocation in 2010 (from left: Hobbs, Boyer, Mullen)

Mullen and Hobbs reformed in 2003 with Smith, Marchais and Derek Boyer of the bands Dying Fetus and Decrepit Birth on bass.[3][1] 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.[3] In 2007, the band was featured in The History Channel's promotional video for The Dark Ages documentary, playing the song "Bind, Torture, Kill".[5]

In 2008, the band signed to the German Nuclear Blast Records[3][6] and released their latest album Blood Oath in 2009.[3] In 2009, Relapse released the live album entitled Close of a Chapter—Live in Québec City, that was previously self-released by the band in 2005.[7][8] The release of a documentary film Legacy Of Violence is set for 2010.[9] In May, Suffocation toured with Napalm Death in South America and Mexico.[10]

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"[11] and frequent breakdowns.[12]

With their debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten, Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal, created a blueprint for the genre for the 1990s,[11][13] retaining their typical style after the reunion in 2000's.[14][15][16] Decibel Magazine stated: "Effigy of the Forgotten was a benchmark for extreme music, as it sacrificed neither virtuosity or brutality, becoming a signpost for thousands who were still contemplating how to incorporate scalar runs, rapid-fire palm-muting and hummingbird-wing-quick picking into riffs, while opening up rhythmic dimensions and the scope of the blast beat."[1] According to Allmusic, Mullen is one of the best vocalists in death metal.[4] Suffocation also influenced the creation of the deathcore subgenre.[12]

Members

Current members
  • Frank Mullen – vocals (1989–1998, 2003–present)
  • Terrance Hobbs – lead guitar (1989–1998, 2003–present)
  • Mike Smith – drums (1989–1994, 2003–present)
  • Guy Marchais – guitar (1989, 2003–present)
  • Derek Boyer – bass (2004–present)
Former members
  • Todd German – guitar (1989)
  • Doug Cerrito – guitar (1990–1998)
  • Josh Barohn – bass (1989–1991)
  • Chris Richards – bass (1991–1998)
  • Doug Bohn – drums (1994–1996)
  • Dave Culross – drums (1996–1998)

Discography

Studio albums
  • Effigy of the Forgotten (1991)
  • Breeding the Spawn (1993)
  • Pierced from Within (1995)
  • Souls to Deny (2004)
  • Suffocation (2006)
  • Blood Oath (2009)
DVDs
  • Legacy Of Violence (2010)[9]
Extended plays
  • Human Waste (1991)
  • Despise the Sun (1998)
Other
  • Reincremated (demo, 1990)
  • Live Death (split, 1994)
  • The Best of Suffocation (compilation album, 2008)
  • Close of a Chapter: Live in Quebec City (live album, 2005 & 2009)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Stewart-Panko, Kevin (#055 May 2009). "The Memory Remains: The Making of Suffocation's Effigy of the Forgotten". Decibel Magazine. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 John Bush, Suffocation at Allmusic
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Suffocation history at official Suffocation MySpace
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Leslie Mathew Pierced From Within, Allmusic
  5. ↑ Suffocation: New Audio Interview With Frank Mullen Posted Online - Feb. 7, 2007, Blabbermouth.net
  6. ↑ Suffocation Frontman Talks New Album - Mar. 30, 2009, Blabbermouth.net
  7. ↑ Stewart-Panko, Kevin (#064 February 2010). "Suffocation; Close of a Chapter—Live in Québec City". Decibel Magazine. 
  8. ↑ Scott Alisoglu , The Close of a Chapter: Live in Quebec City, Blabbermouth
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Suffocation: 'Legacy Of Violence' DVD Preview Available - Jan. 8, 2010, blabbermouth.net
  10. ↑ Suffocation Announces Mexico/South America Tour With Napalm Death - Oct. 26, 2009, Blabbermouth.net
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Eduardo Rivadavia Effigy of the Forgotten, Allmusic
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lee, Cosmo (#059 September 2009). "Suffocation reclaim their rightful place as kings of death metal". Decibel Magazine. "One of Suffocation’s trademarks, breakdowns, has spawned an entire metal subgenre: deathcore". 
  13. ↑ Eduardo Rivadavia, Breeding the Spawn, Allmusic
  14. ↑ William York, Souls to Deny, Allmusic
  15. ↑ Greg Prato, Suffocation, Allmusic
  16. ↑ Alex Henderson, Blood Oath, Allmusic

External links