Susperia - Unlimited
Candlelight Records CANUS0118 - 2004
By Rodrigo Escandon
It seems that a change of label has also brought about extreme musical changes to Susperia. You may recall that this act features former members of black metal bands like Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon and Old Mans Child, and it was no surprise that their first two releases sounded like such bands. However, Vindication, their second album, did begin to show some influences outside the black metal world - mainly similarities to Pantera. So it is not entirely surprising that with Unlimited, Susperia has completely left their black metal origins to play thrash. Thats right, any fans of Testaments last album will find plenty to enjoy with the new direction Susperia has decided to take.
The first obvious change, that one can recognize right away, is Atheras singing. Gone is his black metal rasp - that has been replaced by an aggressive clean style with occasional death metal grunts. The musical aptitude that the rest of the members display is spectacular. Honestly, their first two albums showcased a band playing music in a clinical sort of way, and it really didnt separate them from the rest. But with this new album Susperia have found their niche and they play with plenty of emotion and excitement. The drumming by Tjodalv is precise and controlled, despite the fact that he really plays all over the place. Bassist Memnock dutifully follows along, completing the rhythmic background. Finally guitarists Cyrus and Elvorn showcase a wide array of riffs, melodies and solos to leave you begging for more. The opening sequence of Chemistry is excellent, and when it is repeated again by the end of the song, with a couple of solos in the foreground, you just get goose bumps knowing you are hearing something awesome. Home Sweet Hell also gets started with another excellent melody that leads to intense verses and a very memorable chorus section. Off the Grid is a head banger's dream with an unrelenting pace, another catchy chorus, and without a doubt the best solo of the album.
There are a couple of songs where the aggression is slowed down just a bit, as is the case with Devil May Care and Mind Apart. It is great to hear these moments where the band does not need to go all out with speed and aggression, but rather use their skills to craft dynamic songs.
Susperia was a band I wrote off after Vindication, but they have certainly come back with an impressive album that totally caught me off guard. Hopefully Unlimited will mean the amount of potential that the band will showcase for the immediate future.
9/10
Susperia Official Website
Candlelight Records Official Website
Candlelight Records CANUS0118 - 2004
By Rodrigo Escandon
It seems that a change of label has also brought about extreme musical changes to Susperia. You may recall that this act features former members of black metal bands like Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon and Old Mans Child, and it was no surprise that their first two releases sounded like such bands. However, Vindication, their second album, did begin to show some influences outside the black metal world - mainly similarities to Pantera. So it is not entirely surprising that with Unlimited, Susperia has completely left their black metal origins to play thrash. Thats right, any fans of Testaments last album will find plenty to enjoy with the new direction Susperia has decided to take.
The first obvious change, that one can recognize right away, is Atheras singing. Gone is his black metal rasp - that has been replaced by an aggressive clean style with occasional death metal grunts. The musical aptitude that the rest of the members display is spectacular. Honestly, their first two albums showcased a band playing music in a clinical sort of way, and it really didnt separate them from the rest. But with this new album Susperia have found their niche and they play with plenty of emotion and excitement. The drumming by Tjodalv is precise and controlled, despite the fact that he really plays all over the place. Bassist Memnock dutifully follows along, completing the rhythmic background. Finally guitarists Cyrus and Elvorn showcase a wide array of riffs, melodies and solos to leave you begging for more. The opening sequence of Chemistry is excellent, and when it is repeated again by the end of the song, with a couple of solos in the foreground, you just get goose bumps knowing you are hearing something awesome. Home Sweet Hell also gets started with another excellent melody that leads to intense verses and a very memorable chorus section. Off the Grid is a head banger's dream with an unrelenting pace, another catchy chorus, and without a doubt the best solo of the album.
There are a couple of songs where the aggression is slowed down just a bit, as is the case with Devil May Care and Mind Apart. It is great to hear these moments where the band does not need to go all out with speed and aggression, but rather use their skills to craft dynamic songs.
Susperia was a band I wrote off after Vindication, but they have certainly come back with an impressive album that totally caught me off guard. Hopefully Unlimited will mean the amount of potential that the band will showcase for the immediate future.
9/10
Susperia Official Website
Candlelight Records Official Website
