SUFFOCATION — Effigy of the Forgotten (review)

SUFFOCATION — Effigy of the Forgotten album cover

Album · 1991 · Brutal Death Metal

2/5 · 2011-01-27
The Angry Scotsman

One of the more influential albums in death metal.

Sadly, it was an influence on a style I'm not really a fan of.

This album was perhaps THE influence on technical death metal, as we know it today. Not the tech death of the early 90's which was more progressive in nature with jazzy drumming, and even song structure (which is the tech death that I love!). This album is uncompromisingly, unrelentingly brutal.

This album is built around a very low register guitar sound. Seriously, this production is indeed brutal. Outside of solos it never leaves a bottom strong, first 4 fret sound.

Mullen's vocals even more brutal, belted in a horrifyingly low fashion. This was quite a departure as most death metal vocalists were in the vein of Chuck Schuldiner (the "zombie" sound as I call it) or a raspy sound. The vocals on this album are purely guttural. It's really not my favorite style, and one I can only take in small doses. For me, it's a knock on the album since they almost sound comical at times. The best way I can describe them is the cookie monster belching. Maybe after a night of heavy drinking.

The music itself takes a bit of patience. Due to its very low register production it can be difficult to hear any variation at all. Also there seems to be no distinction between the guitars giving the riffing a heavy amorphous blob sound. However, the music is really something.

Once your ears have given it a listen or two, the riffing is pretty technical actually. The riffing is also changing constantly, sometimes abruptly with classic death metal stops, and sometimes smoothly. When one really listens you may be surprised how often it is changing.

The songs all sound the same pretty much. Almost all have some short solo guitar or drum break followed by blast beats. Their are a few quick breaks in every song, (sometimes a total pause, sometimes a drum fill) there are faster sections, more mid paced, some pretty groovy ones and bouts of grindcore. Often all in one song, on every song. Throw in some shreddy solo's of course. Almost entirely blast beat drumming, with some double bass breaks from time to time.

In a way this album this a purer form of death metal. While surprisingly technical, it stems directly from brutal, unrelenting death metal. Opposed to the more progressive and melodic styles to emerge during the early and mid 90's.

So, this is an alright album. The music is simply a bit much. Always been my problem with these tech death bands of today, though at least today you can hear the musicianship better. The vocals are a bit laughable, (coming from a death metal fan I know). If you are a fan of straight up death metal, I am sure you will like this album. That may be it though.

Two Stars

more than 2 years ago
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UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Great review and good description of the music. I personally hold the album in a little higher regard, but that´s of course an aquired taste.

Time Signature wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I got quite tired of death metal in the 90s, because they all sounded the same. There were a few groundbreaking and original bands from that era which I like, and I Suffocation are one of those bands. I like that their music is technical and brutal at the same time, and personally, I think that "Effigy of the Forgotten" is a must for any fan of death metal.