Hailing from the one and only Long Island New York, Suffocation are one of death metal’s most important and acclaimed bands. Stripping away the genre’s thrash roots, they are credited for being a major influence on both technical and brutal death metal. To celebrate just how awesome this band has been, we decided to make this next installment of Ranked Up on Suffocation.
Bloodoath – 2008
Suffocation’s worst album is still an enjoyable one. The albums is normally called “Suffocation by numbers” and while this is true, it still has some pretty cool tracks such as the title track and pray for forgiveness.
Souls to Deny – 2004
From the years 1998-2002, Suffocation was on a hiatus. During this time New York’s death metal scene, was getting littered with “Suffo -clones”. What better to combat clones with than a return of the band they are ripping off? Two years after their hiatus ended the band would release Souls to Deny. This album was a huge departure from the band’s older style. Instead of the fast, blast beat driven style we were used to, this album is more slow paced and focuses a bit more on technicality. Though a decent album, this style would be more perfected later on. Best tracks here include “Surgery Impalement” and “To Weep One More”.
Suffocation – 2006
After Souls to Deny showed an evolution in the band’s sound, the self titled album helped perfect this. This record contains some of the band’s most popular later songs such as “Blind Torture Kill”, “Entrails of You”, “Abominations Reborn” and Translucent Patterns of Delirium”.
Pinnacle of Bedlam – 2013
After four years of no new releases and the departure of long time drummer Mike Smith, Suffocation released their latest album to date Pinnacle of Bedlam. Their best post-98 album, this record shows that Suffocation hasn’t lost its touch. Best tracks include “Cycles of Suffering”, “As Grace Descends”, “Sullen Days” and “Beginning of Sorrow”
Breeding the Spawn – 1993
After their debut, Effigy of the Forgotten blew metal heads minds, the hype for a follow up was unreal. Though a more technical release than the previous effort, the album received mixed reviews, due to its bad production. The album also mixes the brutal sound of their early stuff with a bit of melody. This would become a major trait in Suffocation’s sound. Best tracks include “Beginning of Sorrow”, “Breeding the Spawn”, Marital Decimation and “Prelude to Repulsion”.
Effigy of the Forgotten – 1991
Released the same year as their killer EP, Human Waste, this album is a landmark release for death metal. At the time the scene was dominated by the likes of band’s like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel and Obituary. With Frank Mullen’s deep vocals, Mike Smith’s intense drumming and influences ranging from jazz fusion to grind core, this release brought new elements to the genre’s table and is considered one of the first releases in the tech-death sub genre. Several of the band’s most well known songs can be heard here such as “Infectign the Crypts” and “Jesus Wept”.
Pierced from Within – 1995
Long Island’s Suffocation are most known for being forerunners to both the technical death metal and brutal death metal sub genres. Here on Pierced From Within, they perfected their style. Tons of amazing drum fills, guitar riffs, and grooves are heard here, resulting in one of the best death metal albums of all time. The album is flawless but the best tracks include the title, “Thrones of Blood”, and “The Invoking”.
