The Dutch Death Metal act, Sisters Of Suffocation stirred the scene when they released their EP, Brutal Queen (Hammerheart Records) back in 2014. Young and female, SoS was determined to defy stereotypes by making their sound ruthless and unique. Their sophomore album, Humans Are Broken (Napalm Records) continues to carry this conviction and delivers something rather riveting.
The album cracks open with the title track like a tsunami full of fury and indignation. Vocalist, Els Prins immediately stuns with the depth and variance in her gutturals. The cruelty in her tone could be compared to some of the greats like Dying Fetus and Origin. The album dives into an ominous world full of unrestrained anger and angst.
The guitar work of Simone Van Straten and Emelie Herwegh drench the senses with old school intensity while twisting their tones with a more modern, melodic sound. The sparing clean vocals sprinkled throughout the album give an enhancement to the already eerie vibe. On ’The Machine’, the menacing vocals of Prins hits you hard in the guts and the Doom-like synth vocals during the chorus conjures intrigue. It’s pretty refreshing for just one song to affect you in so many ways.
In the middle of the record you hit the song, ‘Liar’. The soaring, elegant guitar intro shifts the mood of the record. It is a true head-bang worthy number that engages the listener with its salty sensitivity and unrestrained rage. You can even hear The Black Dahlia Murder in their intricate and inquisitive movements. Many of the tracks are circle-pit worthy as well.
‘Blood On Blood’ reaches new depths of extremity with relentless, punchy goodness and you can hear Death Metal legends, Suffocation in Puck Wildschut’s bass-thumping. There’s a strange severity and strength in their sound that never lets up.
This budding band clearly has something to share and they do so with a rare, skillful earnestness. The marriage of Death Metal and Melodic Death Metal on this album is a great example how the gruesome can get along with the gorgeous. The band as a whole knows how to present their uninhibited hatred. It is difficult to distinguish the slightly contrived lyrics, but with time, it seems the band’s writing and Prins articulation will improve since they’ve already have come this far. The overall evolution of this young act will be worth noting.
7 / 10
RAGIN ROSIE