Suffocation - Pierced from Within

Remember way back in time when Roadrunner used to put out good albums instead of worrying about fashion? Well, Suffocation was a label mainstay for many years, delivering two albums (after Human Waste) which were creative in scope but declined quickly in production. Most people gave up on the band with Breeding the Spawn (myself included) until this, easily one of the brightest moments in Death Metal hit the shelves. Eschewing the then typical Dan Seagrave cartoon art for a more refined, completely eerie landscape cover, you knew change was in the air. I don't how, but Scott Burns must have learned a few new tricks since Breeding the Spawn, for the band just sounds so fucking incredible I can't even compare this to the past. Clarity, expert technicality put to tape, Pierced is Suffocation's intense vision refined and amplified. Frank Mullin's vocals are more defined, allowing the power to remain while being decipherable. I'd have to say that besides the excellent recording, Pierced also benefits from the addition of Doug Bohn on drums (yeah, I always give credit to the drummers). The guy is a monster, completely comfortable with blast beats, keeping the double bass to a minimum, throwing it in when it's actually completely necessary, instead of relying on it as a crutch. It's so forsaken at times that you may wonder if it's nbot by choice, until you hear his feet just fly on the final two tracks. The whole thing is perfect, a momentous occasion in metal, and a definite must have any death metal collection. I'm serious, I think it's that good. If not just to hear the amazing guitar work or just to see where most of today's death metal bands got most of their ideas, check this shit out.