Review Summary: Deathcore, but not as you know it.
Deathcore has never been genre brimming with creativity and orginality. A majority of today's Deathcore bands follow the same song formula, using chugging breakdowns and multi ranged screams to attract fans. Sure bands like All Shall Perish have succeeded in seperating themselves from the ongrowing crowd of Deathcore, making their music easily recognizable. But there will be bands that mimic that individuality for their own success, and soon it'll be impossible to tell one scream from another. For a genre that's been hanging on the edge right from it's arrival in the early 2000's, the bands involved haven't down anything to help the genre get back on it's feet. Instead they promise the downfall of Deathcore with their lack of creativity and their overload of repetitiveness. Although Deathcore fans don't see it now, they will get sick of the same stuff every album and stop buying the records. What the genre needs is a refreshment, a band that'll go out of their way to things different. Make Them Suffer do not only alter the Deathcore formula on their debut EP 'Lord Of Woe', but they make the chugging breakdowns heavier, they make the screams more brutal and they add their own unique twist on it all. These factors make 'Lord Of Woe' easily one of the best Deathcore releases in a while.
This 6 piece band from Western Australia use all the main factors of modern day Deathcore, the breakdowns are here and the screams are here. But the band do something different, something that makes them easily recognizable from other bands, and that is the Keyboard effects. Although this sounds like too little to be classified as creativity, don't pass on it untill you've heard it. Keyboardist Louisa Burton doesn't plague the riffs with upbeat dance synths often found in today's Metalcore scene, she instead uses Grand Piano effects that lurk in the background. This gives the music a much more ominous tone, with a sense of brutality.
Of course, even without the Keyboard, the band shows much more talent then most bands on the heavy music scene. The guitar riffs of Nich McLernon and Craig Buckingham are fast and technical. Lead vocalist Sean Harmanis screams in perfect pitch, right from the high screeches to the low growls. Speed of light Drummer Tim Madden is exactly as I just described him and bassist Christopher Arias-Real does his job well.
Although 'Lord Of Woe' only contains 5 tracks, they all have impact. The instruments combine very well and the vocals soar over them, with every note, scream and snare leading up to an epic chorus that sends shivers down your spine. The music will actually have an effect on you, which is very rare in the genre. But like every Deathcore band, there is a sense of repetitiveness found. The piano effects found sound almost exactly the same on each song and it's hard to tell the difference between one chorus and another. But the music is so well produced, played and written that it almost doesn't matter. No matter what, you'll feel changed at the end of this EP.
When you finish listening to the EP, it's almost hard to classify Make Them Suffer as a Deathcore band. The music they create is filled with a plethora of influences from other genres like Symphonic Death Metal and Black Metal. Sometimes the band reeks of Cradle Of Filth worship, but the band actually succeeds in creating atmospheric music. Something Cradle Of Filth has failed at for the last decade.
Either way, 'Lord Of Woe' is a brilliant debut release. Make Them Suffer show much more potential with only 5 tracks then a majority of Deathcore bands show with 3 albums. 'Lord Of Woe' is not just something you should pass by, it's something that deserves to be listened to. Make Them Suffer are one the last bands keeping Deathcore from falling of the edge, 'Lord Of Woe' adding much needed support.
