Oakland
Mediaskare
Suffokate is another band ensconced in the debate of the year for 2009: is this or is this not deathcore? On Oakland, I’m inclined to say no. I say no because I define deathcore as the amalgamation of death metal, nu-metal, and grindcore; bands such as Suicide Silence, Impending Doom, and Animosity. Suffokate doesn’t fit this description.
Like Emmure (who I reviewed last week), Suffokate plays no blastbeats, aren’t particularly fast, and draw heavy influence from the better nu-metal bands, specifically Slipknot, Korn, and Fear Factory. There’s nothing here that fits the bill of grindcore and the band doesn’t seem to be influenced by any hardcore at all.
This is not to say that Suffokate are a bad band. It’s simply that this isn’t a deathcore band. Personally, I’m sick of the deathcore rip-off artists that sprung up overnight to steal/leech from Suicide Silence and Job for a Cowboy. Plus, I’m intrigued by this new sound. It’s almost as if the second generation of nu-metal bands has arrived and they’re pretty good this time around. No chumps like Primer 55, Unloco, Union Underground, or Powerman 5000 are to be found. You know, jackasses that could barely play?
These young bands are taking the musical proficiency, technicality, and brutality of Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, and Suffocation and mixing it with the previously mentioned Slipknot, Korn, and Fear Factory. I’m not opposed to this. Thus far, the results have been pretty cool. Suffokate plays this nu-metal/death metal hybrid and Oakland is an entertaining album. All I ask is that when the meeting is held to put a name on this new sound, please come up with something better than “nu-death.”
Suffokate - Oakland
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