Band:	Suffocation
Album:	Hymns From The Apocrypha
Style:	Brutal death metal
Release date:	November 2023

01. Hymns From The Apocrypha
02. Perpetual Deception
03. Dim Veil Of Obscurity
04. Immortal Execration
05. Seraphim Enslavement
06. Descendants
07. Embrace The Suffering
08. Delusions Of Mortality
09. Ignorant Deprivation [re-recorded] [feat. Frank Mullen]

Take my breath away.

New York death metal living legends Suffocation have entered a new era in their career, one marked by a new line-up and a new album in 2023's Hymns From The Apocrypha. With a back catalogue as rich as Suffocation's, expectations are always going to be high; while the band unfortunately don't meet them here, you can't help but question whether they've undershot expectations, or whether you've put the bar too high for them to fairly reach.

It's not to say Suffocation fall flat by any means, as there is plenty on Hymns From The Apocrypha to keep it spinning again and again; it just isn't as memorable as what has come before it. "Immortal Execration" is a groove-laden slab of technical death that will have you nodding along like a bobble head on a bowl of jelly, while "Descendents" just brutalises all within earshot. It is certainly an album best enjoyed when listened to as a unit, with the tracks wilting when separated, but adding to the experience when they follow each other like runaway freight trains.

Listening to Hymns From The Apocrypha, the trademark Suffocation style is present, though long gone is the early stripped-down sound of the band's Roadrunner days; in their place are some of the best tones you'll hear on a tech death album. The solo on "Seraphim Enslavement" is a perfect fit for Hobbs' style, balancing power with sonic precision. While you may miss the dog-eared sound of old, "Dim Veil Of Obscurity" shows Hobbs has found a new way to continue to wow listeners. This is rounded out by the tight bass of Boyer, who makes tracks like "Embrace The Suffering" enjoyable, if only you follow along with his bass wizardry.

Filling the big void left by the departure of long-time vocalist Mullen, Myers' studio debut performance is as strong as you could ask for, with his performance on the opening title track setting a marker that he consistently reaches throughout the album. Being in the rock and hard place of either replicating Mullen's style or trying to (somehow) bring his own style to the table and risk alienating fans who preferred the old approach, Myers had a tough assignment, but one that he approached with conviction and skill. Faced with a lose-lose proposition, Myers manages to pull victory from out of nowhere, with his performance.

With that said, the band perform the tracks well, and present them in amazing fashion, but it's ultimately a somewhat futile exercise as the quality of the songs isn't there. The album benefits from being listened to in full, but that does have the unintentional effect of highlighting how few memorable moments are scattered across the collection of songs. "Delusions Of Mortality" and "Perpetual Deception" could have parts swapped in and out with each other and I doubt all but the most eagle-eared listener would notice; if you listen to the album without giving your full attention, much of it will sound like a blur, with only a few killer solos to stand out.

While it's good to see Suffocation deciding to keep moving forward and not rest on their legacy, Hymns From The Apocrypha is unlikely to impact any of your 'best of' playlists anytime soon. A good listen, though one that you can't help but feel that the band's legacy...well, suffocates.