ALBUM REVIEW: Hymns From The Apocrypha – Suffocation

Long Island death metal royalty SUFFOCATION have been crushing it since the early 90s and while they’ve had numerous line-up changes to get to where they are now, they are still going incredibly strong. Although they are now a great distance away from the days of Effigy Of The Forgotten or Breeding The Spawn, their recent efforts have proved just as brutal and unforgiving, and while it’s been half a decade since their last output, the band have always been there, lurking in the shadows, silently standing over the future of the genre. And now, the boys are back to not only prove once again that they deserve to be remembered as one of the greats but also that they can stand toe to toe with the youthful exuberance of the bands of today.

Hymns From The Apocrypha is SUFFOCATION once again experimenting with some changes in sound and style but ultimately sticking to what they do best: blasts and breakdowns. The title track opens the album with ferocity and fury as it thunders through. To hardcore SUFFOCATION fans it’ll feel like the sweatiest hug from an old friend you’ve just spotted in the pit. Yes, there’s obviously been some switch-ups, but this is SUFFOCATION as we know and love them at the end of the day. The track pumps the brakes to allow a dirty breakdown towards its conclusion before eventually ending in a blaze of brutality.  

Ricky Myers continues to prove why he’s been the perfect replacement on vocals and to the uninitiated ear he barely sounds any different to previous vocalist Frank Mullen. His throaty growls are as commanding as ever and they will destroy venue pit floors along with the rumbling bass of Derek Boyer. They collide together during the driving riffs on Immortal Execration and they hit with such force it will cause many a stank face among the onlooking masses during live shows. The drums are as relentless as you’d expect from a technical death metal release, but new boy Eric Morotti makes his presence known by keeping things fresh. There are some naughty fills and tempo changes he throws in to help give this album a more progressive flavour.  

While there’s enough evolution to keep it interesting for hardcore fans of the band or genre, Hymns From The Apocrypha may be a little lacking in memorability for any outsiders looking in. That isn’t to say the album is missing its melodic moments, but it can feel a little draining at times without more variety after all this time. But as the band says themselves, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The production is high quality and each instrument shines on its own merit, if at times they seem a little too spacious from each other. It would be ideal if the guitars also had a bit more punch to them to really drive home the devastation of the riffs. Embrace The Suffering features a tasty ripping solo that breaks up the track nicely and shows off the immense talent on display here, and the band themselves are obviously a very tight-knit unit and they are arguably the most complete line-up to date.

Hymns From The Apocrypha is another solid album added to the band’s illustrious history. It’ll no doubt go down well with their most hardcore fans, but it is also a sign that SUFFOCATION are going to be just fine going forward and there’s enough evolution of their sound on display to get people excited about their future. Their brutality continues to suffocate the competition even after all these years.  

Rating: 8/10

Hymns From The Apocrypha is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.

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