Breeding the Spawn -vs- The Erosion of Sanity

Had this been a challenge between the debut albums of each band, I would have went with Suffocation tenfold. As it is, Suffocation's second album ended up being a major letdown while Gorguts, a band that I wasn't (and to some extent, still am not) very into, stepped up their game a bit with the release of 93's 'The Erosion of Sanity'.

Gorguts, I always felt, was just another run o' the mill Death clone (of course all that would drastically fucking change with the release of Obscura!) that ultimately failed to reel me in. Suffocation, however, blew the fucking door off the hinges in terms of pushing the boundaries of how brutal a death metal band could be.

Oddly, both Suffocation's and Gorguts sophomore albums actually sound more than a bit similar to one another, stylistically. Both see each band evolving technically whilst shedding much of the more accessible elements of their debuts. The glaring difference is that with Gorguts it actually works, for the most part, while 'Breeding the Spawn' ultimately turned out to be and unbelievable mess. Everything on that album sounds so horribly out of place, not to mention as if it were released before the band's debut. Gorguts, on the other hand, manages to use their newfound technical agility to make things sound a little bit more interesting than the bulk of material found on 'Considered Dead', though they do come close, more than once, to going off the deep end of self indulgent tangents, a trait over-employed by musicians seeking to one-up themselves.

In the end, I have to give Gorguts the upper hand here. While 'Breeding the Spawn' is unquestionably a few staggering steps backwards (a mistake the band would remedy with the release of album number three, 'Pierced from Within'), Gorguts continued trudging on in the right direction while upping the ante a bit in terms of their newfound technical revelations.  

If there was one thing that both bands were dead even on, it would be the astonishingly killer artwork that adorns each album, courtesy of death metal go-to guy, Dan Seagrave. Between the both of them, it's practically impossible to choose, though if I had a gun to my head I just might have to go with 'The Erosion of Sanity', yet again.

Winner: Gorguts - The Erosion of Sanity

The Way's From Best to Worst: Suffocation

Effigy of the Forgotten (1991)

The one that started it all. Sure, they had a demo and an 'ep' before it but 'Effigy...' blew the fucking door off the hinges and for better or for worse, you can thank this album for the lion's share of br00tal/tech-death band's that have flooded the underground since.

Two things that will always ensure that this album stays way ahead of the pack is that aside from the obvious brutality, there is a sort of evil whimsy throughout its duration as well as the fact that each of these songs are fairly memorable, quite the astonishing achievement when you take into consideration the amount of riffs clustered throughout. Vocally, Frank Mullen beefed up his chops a bit after his absolutely frightening delivery on both the 'Reincremation' demo and 'Human Waste' ep, which resulted in one of the greatest vocal performances throughout the history of death metal. There is no shortage of singers that have attempted to ape his style but none have even come remotely close to the pummeling brutality of Frank Mullen on this album.

Human Waste (1991)

I actually prefer Frank Mullen's voice on this release as well as the demo before it. Though it may not carry with it the depth of 'Effigy...', his vocal performance here is by far the most frightening sounding of his career. The music leans a bit towards the transitional death/thrash approach which was quite common in the late '80's/early '90's. Most of these tracks would be re-recorded for the band's debut album and as a result would sound much beefier, greatly benefiting from the classic Morrisound production courtesy of then go-to guy, Scott Burns.

Reincremated (1990)

Sounding similar to the Human Waste ep, the band's sole demo, 'Reincremated' showcases songs that would turn up on 'Effigy of the Forgotten'. Here they sound a bit leaner but no less intense. Again, Frank Mullen's voice is absolutely fucking insane here! It is absolutely mandatory to hear this.

Despise the Sun (1998)

After the gluttonous technical duo of 'Breeding the Spawn' and 'Pierced from Within' Suffo decided to cut back on the meandering riff fluctuations and deliver what is undoubtedly their most straightforward release to date and the result is an ep's worth of material that brings to mind the bludgeoning brutality of the band's earlier releases. Long gone are the days of Mullen's Human Waste era rasp, but that is of no consequence as the man is top fucking condition here, relentlessly beating the shit out of the microphone with absolute hateful brutality.

Pierced from Within (1995)

I've gotta say, I'm not the biggest fan of this album, nor do I think it sucks. I do like it, but I certainly do not love it. If anything, I think it's safe to say that this is probably the album that should have succeeded 'Effigy of the Forgotten'. The production here is sort of a more "sophisticated" version of that found on 'Effigy...'. My problem with this record is that a lot of the songs tend to meander. This has actually always been a problem that has plagued the band from day one, but I believe that the earlier material of the band was, thankfully, a mite bit more straightforward. 'Pierced...' certainly sounds more polished and controlled than the abominable pile of shit that is 'Breeding the Spawn', but again, the tendency to meander is prevalent here and I unable to look at this as anything but a creative hang-up. Oh well. This isn't a bad album by any means and there are certainly some great ideas scattered about, but I just can't get into the whole "mindless tangent" thing that a lot of "technical" death metal bands wind up exploiting.

Souls to Deny (2004)

I'm not quite sure what it is about this album that caused everyone to piss and moan, but I can assure you, if you dug what the band was doing on 'Breeding...' and 'Pierced...' then there really shouldn't be any reason for you to dislike this album as it pretty much sounds like a combination of the two, Obviously the production is better than that found on 'Breeding...' and perhaps the songs are slightly less technical, but overall this album carries with it the same vibe as that album as well as 'Pierced from Within'. Again, I'm not terribly fond of this style, but if you are then I can't see why you wouldn't like this album. I guess some people need something to piss and moan over.

Pinnacle of Bedlam (2013)

This is probably the most diverse Suffocation album since 'Pierced...', though I wouldn't fret much as all of the typical Suffocation hallmarks are in place here. Honestly, even though the band are making obvious attempts to branch out while keeping their signature elements in place, this all sounds a bit old hat to me, which, face it, has been Suffocation's number one flaw all along. Not a bad album by any means, and really, there truly aren't any "bad" Suffocation albums. Just a whole bunch of boring ones! This one, I think it's safe to say, is anything but!

Blood Oath (2009)

This is a pretty boring album. Heavy? Sure, but excruciatingly boring. As with most Suffocation albums, there are definitely moments of brilliance scattered throughout, but overall this one's a total snoozefest. The best part of this album is the ridiculously killer cover art.

Suffocation (2006)

Although I really stopped "truly" giving a fuck around 'Pierced...', this is where I shut the door completely. I realized beyond a doubt that Suffocation was one of those bands that persistently releases mediocre material every few years and will never quite reach the bar they themselves had raised so many years ago with their debut album. Basically what you have here is a bunch of braindead "brutal" riff fluctuations drenched in what is probably the most questionable choice of production since 'Breeding...'. No, it's not quite on that level of bad, but it aint good either! Lastly, as if it were some sort of unconscious giveaway to the generic mediocrity of the music within, the cover art is mind-bogglingly tame and I was somewhat surprised that the band opted to go down the 'self titled' route as if they ha run out of laughably retarded song and album titles (Epitaph of the Credulous, anyone?).

Breeding the Spawn (1993)

Here it is... the absolute cream of the crap. I highly doubt that even the hipster faggots who try and pretend as if they like every shitty little morsel that crawled out of the ass of the early '90's likes this album as much as they front that they do. I understand that in many internet circles it is now the "in" thing to cherish and praise certain "misunderstood" albums released so long ago but believe me folks, this is one effigy that is better off forgotten. I'm not even going to get into how bad the production is because that's really not much of a surprise to anyone who's read a review or two on this album, but what I will say is that the actual music on this album sucks as well. I mean, from top to bottom, beginning (of my sorrow) to the end, this album is an absolute drunken fucking mess and without a doubt the lowest point of Suffocation's career.

The Way's Top Worst Follow-Up Releases

I know that some folks will probably think I'm out of my mind with some of these selections but they have their reasons for being here. Some of these might not have been straight up "sex change operations" but nonetheless, they were a departure from what I was expecting and/or hoping for. Certain and obvious choices such as Morbid Angel's 'Illud Divinum...' ultimately did not make the cut because Morbid has had such a long and good run up until that point and frankly, I'm not that offended by that album. Most, if not all of these albums, etc, were released when I was much younger and a bit more , shall I use the term "emotionally attached". Now that I'm an old fuck I take it way less personal if a band decides to jump out of the closet and ride the Hershey Highway.

Pestilence - Testimony of the Ancients

After the crushing and dismal onslaught of the imagination that was the mighty 'Consuming Impulse' I was not prepared for the artsy fartsy, post-neutered diet rite version of the band that was about to come prancing from out of my speakers. Oddly enough, the element that I was most concerned with (the absence of Martin Van Drunen) ended up being a non-issue as guitarist Patrick Mameli ably handled the mic. Sure, he sounded like a rather generic version of MVD but at least the aggression remained.

There are moments on this album that I swear were written by the two fags from Air Supply and basically that's what 'Testimony...' sounds like, a collaboration between Pestilence and that band. After waiting almost three years for this album to be released, I cannot begin to describe what a letdown it was to finally hear it.

Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky

After the mindblowing 'Soulside Journey', nothing, absolutely fucking nothing could prepare me for the utterly homosexual bandwagon hopping of this album. To this day it kills me that everyone bows at the feet of this band, heaping massive amounts of praise upon them for being so original and for "sticking to their guns" (???)... really??? Are you fucking kidding me? Darkthrone is the biggest example of the term "trendy hipster" there is. It's difficult for people to comprehend why, exactly? Because the two geeks in this band act like they don't care? Yeah right. Trust me. If they didn't care they wouldn't write, record and release albums. Period.

Cathedral - Soul Sacrifice

I should've known that the weakest track on the band's debut would be the one whose style of which Cathedral would capitalize on throughout the rest of their existence. What a shame. To this day, no one has been able to come close to the brilliance of Cathedral's 'Forest of Equilibrium', certainly not the band itself. I cannot say for sure that it was a complete shock to hear the more upbeat tempos found on this 'ep', but it was a major letdown nonetheless 

Carcass - Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious

Sure, this is still quite an aggressive album but it wasn't really what I wanted to hear after 'Symphonies of Sickness'. I had waited some time to once again delve into Carcass' dismal void of crushing gloom and was rather thrown off to be greeted by the thrashier aesthetics of 'Necroticism'. Don't get me wrong, I actually like the album but I have always grappled with the sinking feeling that the primal sludge of their earlier incarnation was to forever be a thing of the past as the band began to incorporate elements of thrash and traditional heavy metal, not to mention the increasing absence of Bill Steer's vocal croak which would be non-existent on Carcass' next album, 'Heartwork'. Great album, but a bittersweet reminder of the everflowing winds of change.

Suffocation - Breeding the Spawn

With their debut, 'Effigy of the Forgotten', Suffocation beat the living shit out of everyone around them, bands and fanatics alike. Effortlessly pushing Cannibal Corpse to the side, Suffocation became the new barbarians of U.S. brutality on the block. This band had great things in store. I knew it... until....

I'm not quite sure what the fuck Roadrunner was thinking when they sent the band off to some hole in the wall studio to record their heavily anticipated follow-up to 'Effigy...', but boy did they fuck that up. Regardless of whether or not the actual "playing" is up to par, the album sounds like complete and total shit. You can pretend to yourself otherwise until the second coming of Christ, but the fact remains: this album sounds like garbage. I can only imagine what it would've sounded like had Scott Burns worked his magic once again.

The other problem I had with it was that the songs just really aren't that good. Sure, there never seems to be a shortage of praise from musicians and techno-nerds alike, but to mine ears (seemingly) alone, none of these songs really stand out, ultimately making the album sound like a big stew of meandering garbage and noise made worse by the atrocious production. What a fucking shame.

Obituary - The End Complete

The End Complete marks the beginning of Obituary's longstanding affair with releasing absolutely boring and unimaginative albums. It's as if they stopped giving a shit after 'Cause of Death'. Like that album was so overwhelmingly taxing to create it pretty much sucked out the remainder of the band's creative output. I don't know. I'm just speculating. 

I've learned since then that each time the band is about to release an album and utter the words "oh, this is going to be a typical Obituary album", they're referring to each and every worthless piece of shit they've released since 'Cause of Death'. 

Therion - Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas

Where 'Beyond Sanctorum' had mere "glimpses" of symphonic faggotry sprinkled throughout, 'Symphony Masses' was a full bore crashing through the gates (otherwise known as the closet door).

Perhaps the biggest letdown for me were the vocals of Christofer Johnsson. On the band's previous albums he was a fucking beast, quite deserving of the band's moniker. Here he sounds like some wayward and haggard wino surviving on a diet of Kamchatka and withered dog turds. Somebody get this guy a bowl of soup!

Bolt Thrower - ...for Victory

After 4 albums of total and complete godliness, I should have known that the mighty locomotive known as Bolt Thrower would eventually run out of steam. This album isn't a departure from the band's "tried and true" formula or anything of the sort. It just sounds like a band tired and completely out of good ideas. To be fair, there are a handful of decent riffs here and there, but as a whole the album just sounds tired and weak. Even though I felt that the band's follow-up, 'Mercenary' was a glimmer of hope, the band have never truly recovered and have been on a long path of mediocrity since.

Suffocation - Souls to Deny (2004)

Not too sure sure what it is about this album that people hate so much, but for me, this is the last decent album the band would release until a few weeks ago with 'Pinnacle of Bedlam'. I've listened to this album time and again in order to detect that fatal flaw that causes tears to erupt from the assholes of the trendsters at large and I've yet to come across any. I felt that STD was was an admirable return for Suffocation and I've certainly heard worse as far as comeback albums are concerned.

I know there are some fags out there who whined about the absence of former Suffo guitarist Doug Cerrito, but let me tell you, Guy Marchais was actually in the band before Cerrito or even Terrance Hobbs, for that matter. In fact, it can be argued that, aside from Frank Mullen, Guy Marchais is the only "original" member now in Suffocation.

I like the fact that there are nods to chestnuts such as 'Jesus Wept' like in the beginning of 'To Weep Once More' and overall, the riffing and the production on this album feels like somewhat of a throwback to the band's prime. Souls to Deny could have easily been released between 'Effigy of the Forgotten' and 'Pierced From Within', in fact, I'd actually rank this alongside 'Pierced...' in terms of quality overall.

I must confess that, for the most part, I have long since given up on reading death metal lyrics. All I can tell you is that Suffocation has always had a knack for coming up with some of the most cringe inducing song titles in musical history ('Marital Decimation', anyone?), though to their credit, 'Souls to Deny' is hardly their worst album in this regard.

Though I'll always prefer 'Human Waste' and 'Effigy of the Forgotten' over pretty much the rest of the band's catalog, I have no hate in my heart for Suffocation. My only complaint throughout the years is that the band seems to have released pretty much the same album since their early days, not to mention the fact that I've never been terribly fond of the "9,000 riffs per song" approach. Nevertheless, I do have the utmost respect for the band and, for what it's worth, feel like 'Souls...' is more than a worthy addition to the band's discography. Again, I'm puzzled as to what part of this album gets all of you silly little bitches' panties in an uproar, but then again, I've never quite understood the musical tastes of others.

Suffocation - Pinnacle of Bedlam (2013)

Honestly, I stopped "keepin' it real" with Suffo after 'Pierced From Within'. It was around that time that I started to grow tired of bands that go off on  mindless technical tangents with a couple of out of place breakdowns thrown in to sate the "brutal/slam" mongoloids. Admittedly I was happy to once again hear a Suffo album done up with a great production job after the catastrophic mess that was 'Breeding the Spawn' (no amount of internet hipsters could ever convince me that that album is anything other than a stagnant pile of shit), but overall I was getting weary of their particular brand of death metal.

Throughout the years since 'PFW', the band broke up, came back and released a slew of albums, none of which really sounded all that spectacular. Sure, I guess you could say that the band stayed true to their style but that approach grew tiresome to me a long time ago.

Pinnacle of Bedlam is Suffo doing Suffo in a nutshell. The one big difference here is that they've reigned in a lot of the more drawn out aspects of their approach and tidied things up a bit. The songs are much shorter and snappier, which is great, as much of the wayward feel that lost me on previous albums is cut short and dare I say the end result is catchier and more straight to the point. Believe me, the band tries to throw in as much as they can for most of the album but it is indeed refreshing to see much of the excess fat carved away.

There are also some acoustic sections that bring to mind 'Pierced From Within' as well as some string bends and harmonics that one wouldn't normally equate with Suffocation. I'm glad to hear the band branching out and incorporating a few new elements into their sound, though as previously mentioned, this is still pretty much Suffocation 101.

Overall, while this is not a bad album by any stretch, it's just not really my thing, though I'll gladly steer anyone into this particular style of metal in its direction.

Classic Covers: Suffocation - Breeding the Spawn (1993)

Classic Covers: Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten (1991)

Suffocation - Breeding the Spawn

Wow. What a fucking downer this album was when it came out. Holy shit.

First off, this album is still a "brutal death metal" album. Suffo didn't start tap dancing and wearing top hats and shit, all of a sudden, when this came out. No, that wasn't the problem here. Someone should have bopped on over to the offices at Roadrunner and went postal on each and every hapless soul who had the misfortune of being there that day for allowing whoever it was that runs things over there to put this album out in the condition that it was released in. I don't mean in terms of the packaging, because in that department 'Breeding the Spawn' sports one of the bands most killer album covers to date not to mention the sick ass, ice blue color scheme. No. Whoever was in control of that aspect is fully deserving of their get out of jail free card. Nah, I'm talking about the fucking idiots who prevented the band from re-teaming with Scott Burns and the boys down at Morrisound, because whoever recorded this abominable catastrophe of an album was obviously on a 6 month long bender that included wallowing in moonshine culled only from the finest vats of toxic waste over in the bowels of New Jersey.

Each and every musician on this record sounds as if they were beaten with a tube sock filled with padlocks and stupidity as each instrument senselessly goes about morphing from one manifestation of astonishing idiocy to the next. Everyone is Thorazine shuffling around and sloppily bumping into one another like a herd of village idiots mercilessly packed into a 6 by 8 ft sized jail cell. I've heard from more than a few "admirers" of this album that despite the shitty production, it is actually a work of genius. Well, what-the-fuck-ever to that. I know suck when I hear suck and this fucking sucks.

Perhaps the most laughable aspect of this album are Frank Mullen's vocal patterns, or lack thereof. I mean it really sounds as if the other guys in the band sprung a surprise on him and were like "hey dude, by the way, we just recorded an album this morning and we need you to write lyrics for it and record them in the next half hour". I'm not saying that you have to sound pattern predictable like Glen Benton, which let's face it, can be agonizingly lame in its own right, but god damn dude. This shit sounds as if Frank caught a case of the 'fuck its' and hired some booze hound off the streets to come in and have at it on the mic.

This is also the album where Suffocation began to go off on mindless tangents that go absolutely no-fucking-where rather than make the attempt to write an actual song. Granted, for its time, 'Effigy...' wasn't exactly James Taylor inspired but from 'Breeding..' on, the amount of memorable songs became far and few between.

I always assumed that Mike Smith took and beat feet after this album because he could no longer cut it, because the drumming on this album is just downright fucking horrid in comparison to the band's debut. I guess the only redeeming aspect of 'Breeding...' are the leads, which most of my guitar nerd friends speak fairly highly of, but again, being more of riff hound, I could care less about that sort of thing so at the end of the day this album was a major, major fucking letdown.