Suffocation – Hymns from the Apocrypha (Review)

This is the ninth album form legendary US death metallers Suffocation.

Hymns from the Apocrypha contains 41 minutes of brutality; eight new songs and a rerecording of Ignorant Deprivation, (featuring original Suffocation singer Frank Mullen), from 1993’s Breeding the Spawn.

Hymns to the Apocrypha is a beast of old-school technicality, aggression, and ferocity. It’s harsh and brutal, and effortlessly effective. The songs have been carved from granite by masters of their art. They’re simultaneously intricate and blunt, making the most of both to destroy everything in their path as they roll relentlessly through the album’s duration. In places the music is enhanced with a progressive edge that’s quite effective. It also has a few more melodically rich moments than you might expect, despite the album’s mercilessly brutal heart.

The band’s new vocalist fits seamlessly into Suffocation’s impressively crushing sound. His brutal vocals are guttural and monstrous, seeming to swallow the light as they growl with colossal presence. There’s no weakness here, only uncompromising strength.

Suffocation’s return is one to be celebrated. Hymns from the Apocrypha is a satisfyingly enjoyable record that doesn’t put a foot wrong during its running time. If you’re a death metal fan the this is one to definitely not miss.

This is a murderous display of death metal supremacy, and each track hits like a truck.

Very highly recommended.