Suffocation
Effigy Of The Forgotten


4.5
superb

Review

by hydeyomoney USER (73 Reviews)
January 1st, 2010 | 747 replies


Release Date: 1991 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Melody and Brutality some how make their way together.

Brutality and melody seem like disdained cousins from the musical family that have bitter hatred for one another. There are very few moments that they allow themselves to succumb to and tolerate each other; much less enjoy one another’s company. Brutality, rather than create pretty sounds or elicit a listener’s ear, would much rather make a racket, go faster, and/or slow down to the point of ever-encompassing doom. Melody opposes this and is quite appalled by such a horrible racket, and they almost never find themselves sweetly combined and together while loving each other. However, there are moments in which the two would combine; Suffocation’s Effigy of The Forgotten, memorable for both its enclosing, viably brutal sound, it’s melody, and its ability for the listeners to easily remember the experience. While melody doesn’t seem like a big part, it’s just as essential to Suffocation’s sound as brutality.

Effigy of The Forgotten’s sound is, simply put, absolutely suffocating and strong handing in its strength. Its brutality is like a backhand slap to the masses – absolutely crushing and crucial. The production is raw and low quality, and yet it sustains this album’s appetite and makes it even more of a ride. The guitars’ rumbling distortion and constant thrashing calls ‘bloodshed’, thundering through your speakers at breakneck speeds, while at times stampeding towards halting, slowing break downs, chugging and clunging down upon you. And yet, despite the guitars’ sheer shredding dominance and the stripped down, raw death metal sound it brings, the drums are the true highlight amongst the brittle, rumbling (and truly awesome) mess. Mike Smith’s clattering snares and technicality-enhanced blastbeats absolutely drive the album’s direction, giving completely good reason for his special kind of beats to be called Smithbeats. Throw in the guitars and drums down with the all-purveying vocalist Frank Mullen – whose deep throated, dinosaur-esque and inhumane voice roars at the listeners – and we get the boiling pot of hot, brutal death metal nipping at your door.

Despite the albums seemingly completely brutal sound, melody is also a sinister partner in this album’s plot, albeit not in the typical way. Rather than repeating parts in individual songs similar to that of a hook or chorus, the album plays a complete piece, with parts parlaying a certain memorable bit that become something of tiny pieces in a musical puzzle, eventually that puzzle combining, and thus forming a few melodies that don’t attain to whole songs, but rather the entire album. This idea is prosperous here, and works well just as the album’s short length allows it to. Melody and brutality, however, sort of play the game of hide and seek on this album, and it somewhat takes a little bit of effort to find the melody here, as the album’s crushing sound seemingly is all brutality and macho-ism and appears less intricate in its composition than it actually is. But, we shouldn’t go all-out and call this more than it really is too much. Sure, its composure is a little bit more complex and unique than most death metal albums out. But is it really too big of a difference? It’s still ominous, barbarous death metal, and with its grind and thrash influences, sounds combined in almost perfect proportions, parlaying both fast and slow moments wonderfully. Effigy of The Forgotten is well-worth your time, after all, it is not often you see melody and brutality working together on the same album.



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user ratings (1331)
4.3
superb


Comments:Add a Comment 
hydeyomoney
January 2nd 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

had to re-submit cuz aparently two mods read my post at different times so my new review got deleted.

Hawks
January 2nd 2010


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Well like I said on my other post, nice review man. I like the way you go from rap to brutal death metal lol.

Digging: Black Curse - Burning in Celestial Poison

Crysis
Emeritus
January 2nd 2010


17640 Comments


Very good review, I need more Suffocation so I will probably get this soon.

hydeyomoney
January 2nd 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This and Pierced from Within are the best so that's a good idea

Crysis
Emeritus
January 2nd 2010


17640 Comments


Yeah I have Pierced From Within and it rules so this is the next step.

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
January 2nd 2010


32288 Comments


2nd time i've pos'd this review. Your summary tells me nothing about the album though broski lol.

TheSpirit
Emeritus
January 2nd 2010


30304 Comments


they deleted my awesome Brosociety list too. Good review, even though i've never been a fan of Suffocation.

hydeyomoney
January 2nd 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

thanks everyone, gonna change the summary now

FadeToBlack
January 2nd 2010


11043 Comments


good review, album isn't really particularly melodic though...

can't decide which of their first three albums I like best, I'm leaning towards this one atm

Dryden
January 2nd 2010


13585 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

rules

jingledeath
January 2nd 2010


7100 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Used to really dislike this band until I listened to Pierced From Within, will be getting this soon.

FadeToBlack
January 2nd 2010


11043 Comments


get their first three albums, and maybe Despise The Sun EP

Crysis
Emeritus
January 2nd 2010


17640 Comments


hydeyomoney is going to send a group of angry black people after whoever negged this.

hydeyomoney
January 2nd 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Already have Crysis.

Wizard
January 2nd 2010


20564 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Excellent review dude. Bumping the rating on this album.

Anthracks
January 2nd 2010


8206 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

this album initiated the death of melody that is brutal death metal. calling it melodic is misleading as it is only as melodic as all other music (within the confines of the term itself) and not characteristically so

Digging: Gigan - Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus

Wizard
January 2nd 2010


20564 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Do a review for it if you think it's inaccurate. I see where your coming from but I also agree with Hyde's analysis as well.

FadeToBlack
January 2nd 2010


11043 Comments


after all, it is not often you see melody and brutality working together on the same album.
umm swedeath

hydeyomoney
January 2nd 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5



this album initiated the death of melody that is brutal death metal. calling it melodic is misleading as it is only as melodic as all other music (within the confines of the term itself) and not characteristically so





i see where you are coming from, i guess i just i like how it works together here. It still has those elements despite being as brutal as all hell.

Crysis
Emeritus
January 2nd 2010


17640 Comments


Gave this a listen earlier and it is really, really, really good. I'll rate it after I've given it another spin.

Already have Crysis

Surely the negger is dead by now, then.



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