If you prefer to indulge in metal that is served with a heavy dose of speed, technicality, brutality, or some combination of all three, you are undoubtedly familiar with the name Suffocation. The Long Island natives, widely known as key innovators for death metal and a massive influence on what the genre would become, have been a prominent name in the underground since their formation in 1988. As a pretty big advocate for death metal myself, the Suffocation catalog is one that I have been meaning to sink my teeth further into for awhile now. After plenty of missed opportunities and excuses getting in the way of doing so, I was pretty thrilled when …Of The Dark Light figuratively slid across my imaginary desk for review. Let us begin!
Suffocation wastes no time in punching listeners right in the face from the start, as opening track “Clarity Through Deprivation” blasts and growls ahead with a lethal mix of speed and intricacy. This is a common theme for the album as a whole, one that is arguably best digested in full rather than by individual song. Although there are a variety of memorable riffs, such as one of my favorites in “The Warmth Within The Dark”, the album moves along pretty steadily without many segments that let up or stick out. This is not a bad thing. While …Of the Dark Light is not necessarily an innovation, it is a solid effort from a band that hardly strays from what they do best. Whether you are happy, mad, angry, sad, whatever – spinning this record at full volume is sure to please.
“Your Last Breaths”, “The Violation”, and “Return to the Abyss” are just a few examples of Suffocation at their peak. Drummer Eric Morotti has proven that he is more than competent at his craft on his first official release with the band following the exit of sticksman Kevin Talley, whose shoes are never easily filled. Frank Mullen’s vocals rip through anything in their way and almost act as an additional percussive element, complementing the intricate guitar rhythms and solos as well as pummeling bass guitar throughout.
As the album moves along, title track “Of the Dark Light” brings the speed yet again before finding somewhat of a steady groove to settle into. This change of pace is certainly welcomed and gives listeners a taste of a more simplistic side of Suffocation, except it is still nowhere close to simple. Overall, “Of the Dark Light” easily stands out as one of my favorites on the record.
The latest Suffocation album is more of what many listeners have come to expect from the band since their inception. If you are already familiar with the band or death metal in general, there is a pretty good chance that you will appreciate some or most of …Of The Dark Light. While there are no surprises this time around, and the album does not break any new barriers in death metal, it certainly further solidifies the fact that Suffocation has earned their spot as one of the top death metal acts of all-time, a band that fans will be banging their heads to for years to come.
I give it 4 skulls!
“…Of The Dark Light” Tracklist:
1. Clarity Through Deprivation
2. The Warmth Within The Dark
3. Your Last Breaths
4. Return To The Abyss
5. The Violation
6. Of The Dark Light
7. Some Things Should Be Left Alone
8. Caught Between Two Worlds
9. Epitaph Of The Credulous
