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Suffocation (band)

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Suffocation
Performing in 2018
Performing in 2018
Background information
OriginCentereach, New York, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1988–1998
  • 2003–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitesuffocationofficial.com
Frank Mullen (left) and Guy Marchais (right) in 2014

Suffocation is an American death metal band formed in 1988 in Centereach, New York, currently consisting of lead guitarist Terrance Hobbs, bassist Derek Boyer, rhythm guitarist Charlie Errigo, drummer Eric Morotti, and vocalist Ricky Myers. The band rose to prominence with their 1991 debut album Effigy of the Forgotten, which became a blueprint for death metal in the 1990s. Since then, Suffocation has recorded eight albums. These feature growled vocals with downtuned guitars, fast and complex guitar riffs and drumming, open chord notes and occasional breakdowns.

History

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Early years (1988–1990)

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Suffocation was formed in 1988 in Long Island, New York, by vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Guy Marchais and Todd German, bassist Josh Barohn, and a drummer whose name has not been disclosed. By 1990, the band had replaced their founding members with hired guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Doug Cerrito along with drummer Mike Smith, who were members of a local band called Mortuary, which had already disbanded. The quintet was mainly influenced by fellow American death metal bands as well as Britain's Napalm Death and Brazil's Sepultura. Suffocation would be unique among the death metal community for featuring African-American musicians in their lineup, with Smith commenting on meeting Hobbs for the first time: "That's where I first noticed, 'Wow, there's another black guy playing this kind of stuff.'"[4] They signed a contract with Relapse Records in 1990, becoming one of the first three bands to sign onto the newly founded label alongside Incantation and Deceased.

Human Waste and Effigy of the Forgotten (1991–1992)

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The band's first EP, Human Waste, was released through Relapse Records in 1991. The first full-length debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten, was recorded by producer Scott Burns at Tampa's Morrisound Studios and released by Roadrunner Records in 1991. The album took a week to produce, and was recorded on a budget of $5,000.[5] Though it initially received mixed reviews from critics,[5] Effigy of the Forgotten would later gain acclaim and become greatly influential in extreme metal music,[4][6] influencing the technical death metal[7][8] and slam death metal genres.[9][10] In 2004, the album was voted as the 342nd greatest metal album of all time in Martin Popoff's book of The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time.[11]

In July 1991, founding bassist John Barohn was replaced by Chris Richards (ex Apparition/Sorrow), leaving the band to join Autopsy.

Breeding the Spawn, Pierced from Within, and hiatus (1993–1995)

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In 1993, the sophomore album Breeding the Spawn was released, its production and mixing being a key weak point that would be immediately harshly criticized. Originally, the band was due to return to Morrisound and record the album with Scott Burns, but Roadrunner was unwilling to fund the album properly and refused to pay for the studio time, forcing them to record elsewhere. After this album, drummer Mike Smith left the band, the situation with the recording process for this album being a major reason for him leaving the band, and was replaced by Doug Bohn.[6][12] Tracks of Breeding the Spawn would be re-recorded in future Suffocation releases.

The 1995 release Pierced from Within, which received better production than the previous release,[13] 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.[6]

Reunion and later years (2003–present)

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Derek Boyer in 2017

Mullen and Hobbs reformed in 2003 with Smith, returning founding members Guy Marchais on guitar, and Josh Barohn on bass. Barohn would not last long, and left the band soon. Suffocation would then hire bassist Derek Boyer of the bands Deeds of Flesh and Decrepit Birth. 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.[12] In 2007, the band was featured in The History Channel's promotional video for The Dark Ages documentary, playing the song "Bind, Torture, Kill".[14]

In 2008, the band signed to the German Nuclear Blast Records[12][15] and released their album Blood Oath in 2009.[12] The album charted on the US Billboard 200 at number 135.[16] 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.[17][18] The release of a documentary film Legacy of Violence was set for 2010, but has since been delayed.[19] In May 2010, Suffocation toured with Napalm Death in South America and Mexico.[20] In February 2012, Smith left the band again, to be replaced by the returning Dave Culross.[21]

Terrance Hobbs in 2017

In 2012, the band was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and released Pinnacle of Bedlam in February 2013.[22] Since after the release of Pinnacle of Bedlam in 2013, vocalist Frank Mullen announced that he will retire from full-time touring with the band due to his new job. He has since been replaced by various live vocal stand ins, including Bill Robinson, John Gallagher, Kevin Muller, and, currently, Ricky Myers.

Charlie Errigo in 2017

In January 2015, Suffocation began making posts revealing that they were in the process of recording demos for a new album with a potential release date of late 2015.[23] In April 2016, the ensemble toured with Soulfly, Abnormality, Battlecross and Lody Kong.[24]

The new album's name was revealed as ...Of the Dark Light and was released on June 9, 2017. Later in 2017, Kevin Muller, who had previously been a touring member, joined the band full-time alongside longtime vocalist Frank Mullen leading the two to share vocal duties on the last album. He subsequently stepped down at the end of the year and was replaced by a returning Myers in 2018. On March 12, 2018, it was announced that Frank Mullen would do one more tour with Suffocation before officially retiring from the band.[25] On January 15, 2019, it was announced that Mullen would return in June 2019 for a final tour of Japan.

On September 12, 2023, the band announced their ninth album, Hymns from the Apocrypha, would be released on November 3.[26] The album won the Album Of The Month designation at Metallian. The band began touring in support of the new release immediately.[27]

Musical style, influences and legacy

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Suffocation are considered by many to be one of the pioneers of technical death metal.[1][28] Terrance Hobbs explained his view on the subgenre's development, recalling "As bands started to get progressively faster, our ears really liked that [...] Going from thrash like Slayer, Destruction and Metallica to us was natural. We just wanted to go faster and faster."[29] 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"[30] and occasional slam riffs and breakdowns.[31][32]

Eric Morotti in 2017

With their debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten (1991), Suffocation rose to prominence in death metal and created a blueprint for the genre for the 1990s,[30][33] retaining their style after the reunion in 2003.[34][35][36] 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."[4]

Blabbermouth.net described Suffocation as "American death metal's most consistent and punishing standard-bearers" and their style as "brutal death metal".[37] Leslie Mathew of Allmusic stated Mullen is one of the best vocalists in the genre.[13] Decibel Magazine stated: "One of Suffocation's trademarks, breakdowns, has spawned an entire metal subgenre: deathcore."[31]

Leslie Mathew of AllMusic conferred the title of "the connoisseur's death metal band" on Suffocation.[38]

Guitarist Terrance Hobbs has cited Slayer, Destruction, Death, King Diamond, Atheist, and Metallica as early influences on the band's sound. He also cited "stadium rockers" such as Ozzy Osbourne, Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden as having influenced various elements of the band's craft. He said, "musically, if it was in that thrash metal, hardcore, death metal-type vein, we were into it, and I think we were playing off all that."[28][39]

Members

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Timeline

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
[40] 		US Heat.
[40] 		US Ind.
[40] 		GER
[41] 		BEL (FL)
[42] 		BEL (WA)
[43]
Effigy of the Forgotten
  • Released: October 22, 1991
  • Label: Roadrunner Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, download[44]
 — — — — — —
Breeding the Spawn
  • Released: May 18, 1993
  • Label: Roadrunner Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, download[45]
 — — — — — —
Pierced from Within
  • Released: May 23, 1995
  • Label: Roadrunner Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, download[46]
 — — — — — —
Souls to Deny
  • Released: April 27, 2004
  • Label: Relapse Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, download[47]
 — — 34 — — —
Suffocation
  • Released: September 19, 2006
  • Label: Relapse Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, download[48]
 — 29 29 — — —
Blood Oath
  • Released: July 3, 2009
  • Label: Nuclear Blast
  • Formats: CD, LP, download[49]
 135 2 — — — —
Pinnacle of Bedlam
  • Released: February 15, 2013
  • Label: Nuclear Blast
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, CS, LP, download[51]
 152 2 25 58 197 119
...Of the Dark Light
  • Released: June 9, 2017
  • Label: Nuclear Blast
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, CS, LP, download
 — — — 80 167 —
Hymns from the Apocrypha
  • Released: November 3, 2023
  • Label: Nuclear Blast
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, CS, LP, download
 — — — 53 — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums

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Title Album details Notes
Close of a Chapter: Live in Québec City
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD, download[53]
  • re-released by Relapse Records on October 27, 2009[54]
Live in North America
  • Released: November 12, 2021
  • Label: Nuclear Blast
  • Formats: CD, cassette
  • Recorded on October 22, 2018, at Middle East Down in Cambridge, MA on the Death Chopping North America Tour (final North American tour with Frank Mullen)[55]

EPs

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Title Album details
Human Waste
  • Released: May 1, 1991
  • Label: Relapse Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, download[56]
Despise the Sun
  • Released: April 30, 1998
  • Label: Vulture Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, download[57]

Compilation albums

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Title Album details
The Best of Suffocation
  • Released: January 29, 2008
  • Label: Roadrunner Records
  • Formats: CD, download[58]

Demos

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Title Album details
Reincremated
  • Released: July 1990
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CS

Music videos

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Year Title Directed Album
2004 "Surgery of Impalement" Adam Wingard[59] Souls to Deny
2005 "Synthetically Revived" Adam Wingard[60] Human Waste
2006 "Abomination Reborn" Rick Carmona[61] Suffocation
2007 "Bind Torture Kill"
2009 "Cataclysmic Purification" David Brodsky[62] Blood Oath
2010 "Blood Oath"[63]
2013 "As Grace Descends" Tommy Jones[64] Pinnacle of Bedlam
2023 "Seraphim Enslavement" Tom Flynn[65] Hymns From The Apocrypha

Notes

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A.^ Since the release of Pinnacle of Bedlam in 2013 until his retirement from the band in 2018, Frank Mullen announced that he would be retiring from full-time touring with the band due to his new job. He has since been replaced by various live vocal stand-ins, including Bill Robinson, John Gallagher, Ricky Myers, and Kevin Muller.[66]

References

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  1. ^ a b DiVita, Joe (February 15, 2017). "10 Best Death Metal Bands". Loudwire.
  2. ^ "Best Metal Bands From 40 Different Subgenres". Loudwire. March 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Shteamer, Hank (November 19, 2018). "Farewell, Frank Mullen: Suffocation's Death-Metal Maestro Goes Out on Top". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Stewart-Panko, Kevin (May 2009). "The Memory Remains: The Making of Suffocation's Effigy of the Forgotten". Decibel Magazine.
  5. ^ a b Gehkle, David E. (2023). "1991". The Scott Burns Sessions: A Life in Death Metal 1987–1997. US: Decibel Books. pp. 218–225. ISBN 979-889184521-3.
  6. ^ a b c John Bush, Suffocation, AllMusic.
  7. ^ Hartmann, Graham (June 6, 2013). "No. 14: Suffocation, 'Effigy of the Forgotten' – Best Debut Metal Albums". Loudwire. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  8. ^ Staff, Invisible Oranges. "Death Metal 25 to Life: October - December 1991". Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "The 15 greatest death metal albums of the '90s". Kerrang!. July 20, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  10. ^ Shteamer, Hank (November 19, 2018). "Farewell, Frank Mullen: Suffocation's Death-Metal Maestro Goes Out on Top". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  11. ^ Popoff, Martin (2004). "Effigy of the Forgotten". The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time. ECW Press. p. 289. ISBN 1-55022-600-2.
  12. ^ a b c d Suffocation history at official Suffocation Myspace.
  13. ^ a b Leslie Mathew, Pierced from Within, AllMusic.
  14. ^ Suffocation: New Audio Interview with Frank Mullen Posted Online – Feb. 7, 2007 Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Blabbermouth.net.
  15. ^ Suffocation Frontman Talks New Album – Mar. 30, 2009, Blabbermouth.net.
  16. ^ Suffocation's 'Blood Oath' Lands on Billboard Chart – July 22, 2009 Archived July 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Blabbermouth.net.
  17. ^ Stewart-Panko, Kevin (February 2010). "Suffocation; Close of a Chapter—Live in Québec City". Decibel Magazine.
  18. ^ Scott Alisoglu, The Close of a Chapter: Live in Quebec City Archived January 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Blabbermouth.net.
  19. ^ Suffocation: 'Legacy of Violence' DVD Preview Available – Jan. 8, 2010 Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Blabbermouth.net.
  20. ^ Suffocation Announces Mexico/South America Tour with Napalm Death – Oct. 26, 2009 Archived April 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Blabbermouth.net.
  21. ^ Suffocation Confirms Split With Drummer Mike Smith, Taps Dave Culross As Permanent Replacement . Blabbermouth.net.
  22. ^ Suffocation: New Album Details Revealed – Sep. 20, 2012, Blabbermouth.net.
  23. ^ Kennelty, Greg (January 16, 2015). "SUFFOCATION Demoing A New Record – Metal Injection". Metal Injection. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  24. ^ "SOULFLY To Tour U.S. With SUFFOCATION, BATTLECROSS". Blabbermouth.net. March 2, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  25. ^ "Frank Mullen to Do "One Last Tour" with Suffocation This Year Before Retiring for Good". MetalSucks. March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  26. ^ "SUFFOCATION Announces New Album 'Hymns From The Apocrypha'". Blabbermouth.net. September 12, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  27. ^ "Suffocation". metallian. November 27, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Suffocation Celebrate 30th Anniversary of 'Effigy of the Forgotten'". October 8, 2021.
  29. ^ Dick, Chris (October 8, 2021). "Suffocation Celebrate 30th Anniversary of 'Effigy of the Forgotten'". Decibel Magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  30. ^ a b Eduardo Rivadavia, Effigy of the Forgotten, AllMusic.
  31. ^ a b Lee, Cosmo (September 2009). "Suffocation reclaim their rightful place as kings of death metal". Decibel. One of Suffocation's trademarks, breakdowns, has spawned an entire metal subgenre: deathcore
  32. ^ Effigy of the Forgotten, a turning point... The Omega
  33. ^ Eduardo Rivadavia, Breeding the Spawn, AllMusic.
  34. ^ William York, Souls to Deny, AllMusic.
  35. ^ Greg Prato, Suffocation, AllMusic.
  36. ^ Alex Henderson, Blood Oath, AllMusic.
  37. ^ Keith Bergman, Suffocation Suffocation (Relapse), Blabbermouth.net.
  38. ^ Pierced from Within - Suffocation | Album | AllMusic, retrieved December 25, 2024
  39. ^ https://metalstorm.net/pub/interview.php?interview_id=147
  40. ^ a b c "Suffocation – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  41. ^ "Discographie von Suffocation" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  42. ^ "Ultratop Belgian Charts". Ultratop.be. March 16, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  43. ^ "Ultratop Belgian Charts". Ultratop.be. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  44. ^ "Effigy of the Forgotten by Suffocation". Apple Music. October 7, 1991. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  45. ^ "Breeding the Spawn by Suffocation". Apple Music. May 24, 1993. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  46. ^ "Pierced from Within by Suffocation". Apple Music. May 22, 1995. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  47. ^ "Souls to Deny by Suffocation". Apple Music. April 27, 2004. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  48. ^ "Suffocation by Suffocation". Apple Music. September 19, 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  49. ^ "Blood Oath (Exclusive Bonus Version) by Suffocation". Apple Music. July 14, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  50. ^ "Metal By Numbers 8/12: The Chart Gets (ass)Jacked". Metalinsider.net. August 12, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  51. ^ "Pinnacle of Bedlam by Suffocation". Apple Music. February 19, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  52. ^ "Metal By Numbers 5/1: Rob Zombie Rats Out the Charts". Metalinsider.net. May 1, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  53. ^ "The Close of a Chapter: Live by Suffocation". Apple Music. October 27, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  54. ^ "Suffocation Announces Mexico/South America Tour With Napalm Death". Blabbermouth.net. October 26, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  55. ^ "Discogs: Suffocation – Live In North America". iTunes.
  56. ^ "Human Waste (Reissue) by Suffocation". Apple Music. May 1, 1991. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  57. ^ "Despise The Sun – EP by Suffocation". Apple Music. April 30, 2002. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  58. ^ "The Best of Suffocation by Suffocation". Apple Music. January 8, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  59. ^ "Suffocation | Surgery of Impalement | Music Video". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  60. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Suffocation | Synthetically Revived | Music Video". youtube.com. November 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  61. ^ "Suffocation: 'Abomination Reborn' Video Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. November 27, 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  62. ^ "Suffocation: 'Cataclysmic Purification' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. November 13, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  63. ^ https://blabbermouth.net/news/suffocation-the-daily-habit-performance-posted-online
  64. ^ "Suffocation: 'As Grace Descends' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. February 22, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  65. ^ https://ghostcultmag.com/suffocation-drop-single-and-video-for-seraphim-enslavement-announce-new-album/
  66. ^ "Suffocation Members Talk 'Pinnacle of Bedlam,' Future of Vocalist Frank Mullen + More". Loudwire. December 13, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
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