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SUFFOCATOR
Maniacs Attack EP

Self-released (2014)
Rating: 4.5/10

Suffocator is a rather mediocre thrash band from Colombia, and this seven-track EP is their first studio effort.

With so much of this stuff clogging up my drains, it’s hard to fathom where bands of this ilk fit into the current thrash climate. With 75% of bands being rather bog-standard it’s clear that this quartet are going to get swallowed up if they are so reliant on following those familiar passages. From its rather amateurish cover art to the generic riffs and formulaic vocal rants of Nicolas Herrera, Suffocator are clearly a band influenced by the likes of Slayer, old Sepultura, Dark Angel etc.

Thankfully there is a bit of meat to latch onto here, particularly with the likes of ‘Fields Of Death’ which become more effective as they slow down. The lyrics regarding death, destruction and mutilation are certainly not new to our ears, but nevertheless, one can hear the passion of the band in the more fun-filled workouts such as ‘Addicted To Thrash’ which boasts the lyrics “Thrash is my life, It is a speed, Always is on my way, Addicted to Thrash, For his sound, That always feeds my ears, Stamping on the posers, Spitting on their face, The Thrash will finish them, With hate and brutality”. It’s nice to hear that the “posers” are still getting a tough time!

Of the seven tracks on offer, only five are studio tracks, with the final two tracks being live versions of the aforementioned ‘Addicted To Thrash’ and ‘Fields Of Death’. It’s not all boredom though, as ‘Massive Assault’ comes rushing out of its gory hole to batter the listener under a barrage of Santiago Galeano’s drums. However, despite the promising start, once again the band quite simply can’t refrain from those generic bursts of speed, and ‘Regreso del Thrash’ keeps up the metallic fury with its wave of speeding guitars and salivating vocals.

While I’m sure that Suffocator will benefit from better production, this type of rather dull and dreary retro thrash isn’t really doing anyone any favours at the moment. While energetic, often raw and clearly wanting so desperately to pay homage to their heroes, Suffocator will fade into obscurity if they don’t wrench themselves out of their worship for bands which did it so much better and so long ago.

People keep telling me about the thrash revival and yet all I’m mostly hearing is derivative, watered down imitation that has the effect of a lukewarm shower. I’m sure that Suffocator has good intentions and not a bad bone in their thrashing body, but this sort of affair will leave you gagging for something more meaningful.

Neil Arnold

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