Review Summary: A crushing and unique blend of stoner, sludge and black metal that is brilliant at its peak but slightly overlong.
Formed in Malmö in the early 2000s, Suma have established themselves as one of the most uncompromising acts in the European sludge underground!
Drawing from the suffocating weight of Eyehategod, the tectonic atmosphere of Neurosis, and the tonal bleakness of Scandinavian black metal, they forged a sound that merges stoner repetition, doom density and blackened textures into something distinctive. Let the Churches Burn represents a high point in that evolution.
The title track sets the tone with over eleven minutes of crushing doom sludge. It moves from suffocating heaviness into passages colored by black metal harmonies, reflecting the band’s Swedish roots. Later, repetitive stoner patterns emerge, even hinting at early Monster Magnet, but stripped of psychedelia and recast in a far darker frame. It is a bold and multifaceted opener.
Hypno Assassin is arguably the album’s peak. Saturated riffs, relentless repetition and a sinister atmosphere make it devastatingly effective. Less structurally complex than the opener, it surpasses it in intensity. When Suma reach this level, the result is absolutely magnetic.
I Am the Spiritual Shepherd slows the tempo into near funeral doom territory, evoking early Cathedral and early Anathema. It provides contrast and prevents monotony, even if it does not match the power of the first two tracks.
Blood Pony begins as dragging sludge and attempts a dynamic shift midway. Here one of the album’s weaknesses becomes evident. Some sections feel extended beyond their optimal impact. The same issue appears in Al Quinnab al Hindi, which contributes to the sensation of excess.
Beef restores urgency with a tempo and crushing repetition reminiscent at times of Boris. It is one of the strongest cuts, reaffirming how effective the band can be when their ideas are concentrated. No, You’re the Monkey continues that recovery, delivering one of the album’s most intense and compact statements.
The closing instrumental, Seems You’ve Developed an Acid Tongue, stretches across seventeen minutes of noise, percussion and distorted textures. Hypnotic and experimental, it will resonate with listeners drawn to extended sonic explorations. For others, it may feel excessive, slightly weakening the album’s final stretch.
Conclusion: Let the Churches Burn is at its best when it balances suffocating sludge, doom gravity and black metal darkness with focused repetition. In those moments, it is absolutely masterful and genuinely unique within the genre. Its only real flaw lies in its occasional lack of synthesis and overlong passages.
Even so, its peaks are so strong that they elevate the whole experience!
Best Tracks: Let the Churches Burn, Hypno Assassin, No, You´re The monkey.
