Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop! Your Master Butcher, The Saw, is attempting to recover from the beatings – Suffocation released Hymns from the Apocrypha (Nuclear Blast) on November 3, 2023. This album is a serious contender for Album of the Year. Brutal Technical Death Metal executed to perfection! This is a devastating and pummeling record. Suffocation are masters at crushing you from all directions. 

Suffocation are one of the progenitors, not just of the NY Extreme Metal scene, but of Extreme Metal in general. For 35 years they have crushed us under the weight of their relentless brutality, technical genius, exacting perfection, and dizzying song structures. With all the New School Death Metal dominating the airwaves of the past few years, it is great to hear classic Old School Death Metal bands continue to prove why they are unbeatable. Suffocation have been uncompromising since day one, and Hymns from the Apocrypha continues that philosophy; still viciously heavy, but finding new ways to pound you into dust.

In this Scrawl, Ya Girl will not waste time going track by track. Pull out the new record (tape, CD) or stream this masterpiece – just play this beast through. If you are NOT familiar with Suffocation, you’ll quickly understand how they influenced so many subgenres of Metal, including Deathcore and SLAM. If you ARE a Suffocation fan already, prepare yourself for new corkscrew, spiraling riffs, wicked time stamps, a labyrinth of song structures, and vocal delivery like you’ve never heard from these kings. 

The OG (aka, my dad) has been a Suffocation fan since 1991’s, Effigy of the Forgotten. He has been listening to this new album since it dropped, and his biggest take-away is the beautiful vocal delivery by Meyers. The OG has always been a Mullen (founding vocalist) fan, but says that “Myers is familiar sounding, so he fits perfectly with the bruising Suffocation sound. But his deep register gutteral delivery and timing really adds a new dimension to Suffocation; adding to the crushing brutality of the instrumental abuse with even more punishing vocals. It’s shocking to imagine, but Suffocation is even heavier, now, with Myers at the helm.” 

A couple tracks of note on Hymns from the Apocrypha – the leading single, “Seraphim Enslavement,” as I’ve mentioned before, is a perfect intro of what you are going to get from this new record. Incredible musicianship, smothering atmospheres, crunching riffs, brilliant drumming, and neck-breaking structures. Also, if you are paying attention to Suffocation’s releases for the past couple of decades, then you have noticed that 1995’s, Breeding the Spawn, has been re-released, one track at a time, on each album. On Hymns from the Apocrypha, “Ignorant Deprivation” ends the record (with Mullen on vocals). 

Ya Girl has really liked the newer Suffocation – since 2006’s self-titled release – because the sonic sound is awesome (and you know I love it to sound good), and they really seemed to perfect their execution. But Suffocation’s entire discography is impressive, and Hymns from the Apocrypha is a brilliant addition to the catalog, particularly in mix, composure, and overall sound. Every single song on the new album imagines (and re-imagines) new ways to beat the breath out of you! Just a remarkable record!

Rating: 10/10!! Excellent execution! Tight, gapless crushing brutality!

Favorite Songs: There are eight new tracks on this album. Take your pick!

Stay Metal,

THE SAW