It’s safe to say that most bands, if they’re around for long enough, will have a few bumps in the road in their recorded output or their general image…anyone remember the whole “Pay to be our roadie for a day” competition they ran? However, very few records are met with the vitriol that awaited Suicide Silence on their self titled 2017 album. It seemed that that record would become an albatross around the band’s neck and 2020’s “Become The Hunter”, while it was a return to the old sound and style, fell a bit flat and didn’t really recover all their goodwill.
So, how will their new effort “Remember…You Must Die” fare, and will they continue to live off their stellar early reputation, or will they decide to experiment again and risk the wrath of the internet once more? Well, for a start, it’s heavy. Heavy as hell. They’ve not went back to any experimental territories, or even seem to be the same band that released their self titled work anymore.
The first track proper (After the usual slow opening instrumental) is ‘You Must Die’, and it soon peels the skin from your face. Uncompromisingly brutal drumming provides a suitable backdrop for some scathing guitar work and, perhaps most importantly, vocalist Eddie Hermida sounds back to his pissed-off best. Essentially this album boils down to the songs being a collection of tracks that batter you in a slightly different way. This isn’t a diverse album and the most variation you’re going to get is a slightly slower track, but you know what? It’s the best and most vital the band have sounded since “You Can’t Stop Me”.
“Capable of Violence (N.F.W)” continues the aural pummelling, with some meaty breakdowns and some tasty riffs. You get the feeling that these songs were written with smiles on their faces, as there’s a sense of fun running through the brutality. There has to be a massive shout-out for new drummer Ernie Iniguez, whose work behind the kit is one of the driving factors behind the album’s sheer heft and clubbing sound. Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun also shine too, providing unrelenting guitar work that sounds vibrant and alive.
“It's the best and most vital the band have sounded since "You Can't Stop Me"!”
The gurn inducing doesn’t let up, even with things slowing down a touch with “Fucked For Life” providing a different tempo of battery. From here the songs can have a tendency to blur into a amorphous ball of knuckle dragging satisfaction, though that may not be the worst thing in the world. Sure, some riffs stand out or some breakdowns may rattle more teeth than others, but if you don’t know what you’re in for after two or three songs then you’re not paying attention.
Ultimately, this is a band who, despite a few missteps along the way have put out their most fun and most consistent album in years.
“Kill Forever” sounds like it could have been on “The Black Crown”, “Altar Of Self” has an almost scream along chorus that will sound massive live and it’s ending breakdown rivals some of “Lorna Shores” recent building levellers. There aren’t really any bad songs on here, just slightly less memorable tracks but ultimately this album probably had no right to be as good as it is.
Other highlights include the 200 miles an hour rager ‘God Be Damned’, which will make you want to spin your head so fast that your brain will start to leak from your nose, ‘The Third Death’ has some chant-along vocal parts which will almost definitely go off live, and as for the final track? The album ends with ‘Full Void’ and it features some of Eddie’s most disgustingly demonic vocals to date in his entire career, and even some half-decent clean singing for a change. There’s a skin-shredding solo thrown in there for good measure, and when it all ends, you’re left out of breath, a little battered and bruised but you know what? You’ll be pushing play again straight away. It’s the best the band have sounded in just under a decade.