Suffocation.

Brutal death metal. When the mood strikes, that's the tagline you look for.

Go on, admit it. It's alright, it's a safe space here! We do and without Suffocation maybe such a tagline wouldn't exist. The New Yorkers spewed forth 'Effigy of the Forgotten' in 1991 and branded the phrase into the metal consciousness.

One of the first Relapse Records bands, Suffocation drawdown low, guttural vocals and rhythmic, slamming guitars over blast beats. Beatdowns. Chunky breaks. Terence Hobbs injects a groove into Suffocation's style, ably backed by Frank Mullen's deep growls.

Photo: Graeme Baty

Tracks like 'Liege of Inveracity', 'Pierced from Within' and 'Infecting the Crypts' endure with fans because of their pulsing, hook-filled grit. Suffocation are technical yet brutal; one of their calling cards, the breakdown, more or less created Deathcore. Thank you?!

With a somewhat stable lineup of guitarist Charlie Errigo, drummer Eric Morotti and bassist Derek Boyer and new vocalist Ricky Myer, we are absolutely hanging out for new Suffocation material. Now that metal festivals are on the horizon, seeing them live would be a right treat too!