Band:	Suffocation
Album:	Pinnacle Of Bedlam
Style:	Brutal death metal
Release date:	February 15, 2013
A review by:	Baz Anderson

01. Cycles Of Suffering
02. Purgatorial Punishment
03. Eminent Wrath
04. As Grace Descends
05. Sullen Days
06. Pinnacle Of Bedlam
07. My Demise
08. Inversion
09. Rapture Of Revocation
10. Beginning Of Sorrow

Suffocation; one of the names in death metal. So recognisable by their blastbeats alone, the band helped shape extreme metal we have today. A decade ago the band were reforming after their temporary split, and in 2006 reached their modern pinnacle with their fantastic self titled album. The lacklustre Blood Oath following up unfortunately fell far short of expectation, leaving an awkward four year gap between itself and our new Suffocation album Pinnacle Of Bedlam.

Suffocation have never been a band to churn out album after album at rapid pace, and Pinnacle Of Bedlam is a perfect example of the rewards taking time can harvest. That's right; the Suffocation we all know and love have made their glorious return with their trademark blastbeats and distinctive sound.

The band have clearly put some serious effort into this album; Pinnacle Of Bedlam is a much busier album than the last. There's always something going on, the songs have always got a direction - be it blast your head off, or show off their slightly more technical side. Suffocation are the masters of holding a perfectly equal balance of traditional death metal, more brutally-based death metal, and technical death metal - which makes them one of the most well-rounded and enjoyable death metal bands around today.

With no intro track the first song smacks you in the face from the first second, and Pinnacle Of Bedlam refuses to relent almost entirely until literally the final drum blasts in the last second of the album. Suffocation make their unrelenting force enjoyable to listen to from start to finish; the album could be considered somewhat diverse for death metal standards, while maintaining their signature style stamped over the whole thing.

The production is much lighter than the previous album though, which may be good news for your neighbours, but does pull the album's punch just a bit. You are otherwise hard pressed to find anything here to wipe the huge smile off your face; the opening four songs especially are true Suffocation gems and beyond redemption for that last album. Certainly on par with the excellence of the self-titled album, Pinnacle Of Bedlam is Suffocation back at their best and another glorious gift to the death metal world. Get your Frank Mullen arm ready!

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Death metal
Nuclear Blast
U.S.A.
Length: 38:18