There is a certain gravity that surrounds a Suffocation release, one which has been duly earnt from their contribution to Metal music. As one of the first bands to fuse blistering brutality to technical proficiency, the Americans’ signature is carved into the waves of similar bands that proceeded them. …Of the Dark Light sees no departure from this sound, the legends play it safe, shoot for consistency and hit the target.
A facet of their music has always been a complexity not just in play but also in composition. A song like the opener, Clarity Through Deprivation, showcases a multi-faceted and changing structure, as tempos switch and time signatures weave in and out of one another. The final part of this song features a grand breakdown, which acts almost as a refrain. The drums take on a groovier and more rhythmic form and the guitars simplify into a steady chug, serving as one of the steepest changes of pace on the album. The song builds a tower of intricate aggression and in this last segment the tower descends heavy onto the listener. The diversity of sound and structure is to be found all over this album too. One other example being the rapid snare hits towards the end of The Warmth Within the Dark and in small bursts throughout Return to the Abyss, which is a tempo and playing style akin to the Thrash-y roots of the Death Metal sound that they build upon. The album’s title track is another one of the most shining examples, with an early breakdown that keeps a relentless barrage of double bass and a later one which is the most menacing and trudging moment of terror on the album.
The solos on this album are a high point, as they serve as breaks to the sonic pummelling. The solo in The Violation stands out to me as one of the strongest, as it jumps from embedding into the surrounding instruments to breaking away from them, until it eventually soars above the mix towards its climax. Derek Boyer delivers a star performance on this album also. Whilst this album features, as expected, a barrage of searing guitar solos, it too delivers exceptional bass playing. This is partially due to a charitable mixing, which leaves the bass discernible and not drowned in the more classically forward instruments, but it is also due to Boyer’s competence in the spotlight. Caught Between Two Worlds is a glowing moment for him, as he solos in a rapid call-and-response manner to the rest of the music towards the middle of the track.
This album is crafted to fulfil the wants of the Suffocation die-hards and Tech Death obsessors with their brand of carefully organised chaos. However, for listeners who enjoy this kind of music in a less intense manner, they may desire more recurrences of sounds as checkpoints to navigate the musical storm. Points like the end of Clarity Through Deprivation or the middle of Return to the Abyss provide the listener with a repeating structure, which grant the song more memorable staying power. But, the overall lack of this kind of thing makes it more of a challenging listen for those who are not already totally bought into the Technical Death Metal genre. Another thing that may have helped evolve their appeal would have been some experimentation, as opposed to it being as similar as it is to previous works. Nevertheless, Suffocation are the masters of the style, and are still able to do it without it sounding forgettable like perhaps some of their copycats.
Whilst this album may not be winning over many new fans for the band or pushing the boat out very far, it is certainly a solid, well-crafted release that will undoubtedly be enjoyed by their and the genre’s diligent supporter base.
3/5
Highlights: Clarity Through Deprivation, Return to the Abyss, …Of the Dark Light, Caught Between Two Worlds
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Purchase their new album here.
