Oh, man... oh man, oh man, oh man...

THE best band to have ever graced God's great, green earth has returned and not a moment too soon, I might add. I was literally just lamenting that I had no good music to listen to no more than two days ago. And suddenly, here's my very favoritest band that ever existed, in the whole of the world, ever, with a brand new album. Some 10 years after they had broken up.

With the original drummer, Mike Smith!!!! (Some 12+ years after he had left.)

Suffocation's first big release, Effigy of the Forgotten is, hands-down, bar-none, THE best death metal album of all time -- and anyone who tells you differently does not know what the hell they are talking about, period. I know from death metal -- I play it (percussion) and have for over 15 years now. Well, I might add. Even if others prefer a different album(s) or band as their favorite, most everyone will agree that Effigy is the most influential album within the genre (possibly excepting the first, real death metal album, Slayer's Reign in Blood).

The heaviest quintet out of New York -- or anywhere, for that matter -- Suffocation's style is a unique blend of jazz, funk, classical, and the most brutal death metal ever recorded. Unlike most bands in the field, a lot of their riffs are upbeat, with a "swing" -- something like a chunky, metaled-out form of hip hop. Their signature is their non-linear progression and jazz-influenced, seemingly free-form segues -- completely unpredictable, tied to absolutely nothing -- Suffocation will literally branch off into a seemingly unending, disjointed run of notes out of nowhere, only to crash right back into the riff they left. A very talented guitarist with whom I worked often once said of them, "They don't need solos -- the whole song is like a solo," and he's right.

Their sophomore attempt was not as good and not as well-received, but it did cement their jazz-influenced style and introduced a new signature: the four-part harmony (where literally every instrument is doing something completely different, but they all work together to create a single, impossible riff). Echoes of both albums form their latest, self-entitled, creation.

It begins with an intro, something the band is not known for, reminiscent of Morbid Angel's Blessed Are the Sick, then slams right in with a grind on the first cut, Abomination Reborn. The grinds themselves, while still blinding blastbeats, are generally a tad slower and more deliberate -- not stiffer, but more solid and concentrated. The riffs are still as heavy as an anvil and never let up. The biggest change though is the focus on heavier, slower riffs.

While the blur of notes and chords are still omnipresent, there is a new reliance on straightforward crunch. It's so damn good, so damned heavy... man, oh man. It adds an entirely new dimension to the whole thing -- making everything seem more thematic, more theatrical, larger than life. This is never more apparent than on the third cut, Redemption, which leads with an acoustic intro (another first for the band) and is possibly the most accomplished track on the release.

As with their previous albums, they've managed to simultaneously raise the bar and clear it. Suffocation is the band's most significant showing since their debut label release, worth twice the cost, and will change your life. It is the first album they've made since their seminal Effigy of the Forgotten which even comes close to it.

Possibly the best thing about Suffocation from a parent's persepctive is that this is one of the few death metal bands that does not rely on shock. You will find almost no mention of the Occult, religion, or the like in any of their material; they do not use lunchroom gross-out lyrics ala Cannibal Corpse; they do not use the eff-word to cover beats because they can't write lyrics. In fact, most of their lyrics are as abstract as the music to which they are set: they do not seek to tell a story so much as set a mood, and are largely disconnected and seemingly random. If your child is into this kind of music, this is the best band (period) for him to listen to for a million reasons... namely because they rock asses like porn stars.