A Live Perfect Execution
Bill Davies Jr. | Aurora, IL | 10/26/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I want you, the reader know a summary of my egotistic expertise and why my review should be considered an accurate one and not a promotion.
I rotate mainly technical and complex music, the greater a challenge to initially comprehend, the more I am drawn back again and again. Once it becomes comprehensible I slowly find why I was drawn to it despite its initial confusing nature. Subconsciously the magic is recognised but not felt until a dozen plays. When that magic is felt and you get goosebumps, you truly know its good. In short, when I hate a complex music but am constantly drawn back to it, just to complain and shut it off, it probably means I love it!
I like Death Metal and Classical Music. To me they are composition-ally very close, one is just noisier than the other. Mozart's 25Th symphony is like a Death metal song when it comes to rhythmic complexity and layering.
On to the album being reviewed...I have been wanting to hear a
Suffocation live album for almost a decade. When I became a fan I thought to myself, " this would just be sick live " but they had
never released a Live Album. So I thought maybe its because they know they can't pull this off live..... I was wrong.
I am moderately fond of live recordings in Death metal. I have heard them all from Slayers LDOA to Cryptopsy's None So Live, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, SFU, all notable as well. From Death Metal to Black to Speed, Thrash, Doom and back again, this is by far the best live Death Metal recording I have ever heard in my life. The guitars, the drums, the vocals can all be heard with more clarity than thought possible. Unlike Deicide you do not have the comedic cursing out the audience, you don't have overly-excessive F bombs, there is crowd interaction
on a positive level (which is not THAT common in this genre) that is in no way corny. "Frank ensues the place to "get two separate pits going" and will judge both sides of the arena after the song and decide "which is sickest". Providing motivation for this unforgettable concert.
Frank Mullen sounds vocally exactly as he does on Despise The Sun (that's positive), he does not rush or utter his vocals in a cookie monster rarrrrr rarrrr rarrr rarr rar type thing. He is clear, if you know the lyrics already you will have no trouble following them here.
The drums are clear, and loud but not mic-ed overly loud, just right. Mike's consistent complex beatings of every drum make you feel as you would if they were playing for you in your living room. The guitars are clear, played dead
on. Terrance's solos are breath taking as usual, unique and oddly...memorable. Especially when he exercises that BC Rich's grid bar. The bass playing does not go without mention either. The Solo Bass part of "Infesting The Crypts" will move your speakers as well as the car next to you pumping rap beats.
Over all, when they all get going the adrenaline rush is incredible. The songs don't wear down midway as do many live Death Metal bands do, due of course to the relentless energy expelled. Suffocation simply do not run out of gas, the vocals never get out of breath, the drums have taken consistent beating throughout. The guitars only get meaner!
The live crowd is captured loud and clear, not too loud and not too distracting during music (typical Canadian audience). I've played it 9 times in one day looking for some imperfection to add. I'm sorry I cant find any. Just when you think the albums over, don't jump the gun to the stop button; Suffocation will always give you your money's worth. Maybe one imperfection is that this is not a 3 disc box set! LOL. Actually if it was I would probably have to check myself into the ER!!!
So I'm glad it is only one disc.
I hope all you readers with love for technically brutal but amazing music will enjoy this as much as me. If you dont, you are simply not a Suffocation fan. As for Suffocation fans, this album should be at the top of your shopping list. If you dont have Blood Oath yet, not to worry, this won't spoil that. I would recommend getting this first though. Then check out the new one (Blood Oath), because it's all just so f****** sick!"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1