Reviews list for Make Them Suffer - Make Them Suffer (2024)

A completely unremarkable djent/metalcore album from a band that has been quite unremarkable since I started listening to them (which granted is not that long ago).

If you've listened to any mainstream metalcore album over the last five years, you are already well aware of what the next forty minutes have in store. Are there eight string guitar riffs which are used as a shield to hide the existence of a true bass? Yes of course. How about formulaic pop song structures, complete with harsh verses and sung choruses? In droves. Monotone chorus deliveries by the vocalist? Check. Uninspired atmospheric instrumentals before whipping the listener into a djent fit of rage? You bet. And don't forget about those soft synthesized interludes!

I really wonder how much of this has to do with the bands roots as a symphonic deathcore band. That is not to say that I think Make Them Suffer should not change their sound, but the song themselves feel far less inspired and do a lot less to drive the listeners forward. Each song has the exact same tempo and follow the same verse-chorus formula. The alternating male/female vocals only help the record so much; credit where it is due, either vocal timbre is not limited to just doing the harsh or clean vocals. But when the band cannot do anything to compliment the vocals, it creates a massive problem for the rest of the recording, which just feels like an afterthought.

Make Them Suffer absolutely fall into the category of a singles band, similar to that of Lamb of God. Unlike Lamb of God however, Make Them Suffer supplementary material is significantly worse than their singles. If you checked out this album simple off the promotional singles, it doesn't get much better than that.

Best Songs: Epitaph, No Hard Feelings, Ghost of Me

When Make Them Suffer started releasing some new singles with their new keyboardist/co-lead vocalist Alex Reade, replacing Booka Nile who left due to abuse allegations, they were some of the best, most kick-A singles I've ever heard from this band's new era. Even my brother likes a couple of those singles. They really made me look forward to their self-titled album, and it has all the greatness I hoped for!

Formed in 2008 in Perth, Australia, Make Them Suffer has had such a powerful evolution that has never worn down. Beginning with pre-Lorna Shore epic deathcore in their glorious debut Neverbloom, they've gotten less deathly and more melodic over the years. With their brand-new self-titled album, their successful journey continues.

The intro "The Warning" has climatic choral vocals leading into industrial synths. Then it blasts into the grinding guitar grooves of "Weaponized". The chorus is where you first get to the beautiful cleans of Alex Reade, greatly balanced with the unclean growls of Sean Harmanis. The sky is the limit, and they made it higher with a lot to expect in this album. "Oscillator" is another kick-A track worth headbanging to. This and "Doomswitch" really make my day, the latter being a f***ing masterpiece of a banger!

As with some of the other tracks here, "Mana God" has Harmanis growling the song title as early as the intro. The modern downtuned metalcore is displayed in reckless abandon, with not many clean melodic moments in this track. The growling power of Harmanis is backed up by some additional screams from Reade. The pause on the usual structure helps cut down on the repetition and makes you remember how enjoyable this album is. "Epitaph" kicks things up h*lla hard. Reade has more of the divine spotlight in "No Hard Feelings". The heaviness is toned down slightly for some lovely melody, while staying fast and killer. Harmanis continues his harsh screams while also offering some gruff singing behind Reade. They both might make the best metal vocal duo of the year alongside Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong!

Then Reade is out and Harmanis is in all the way in "Venusian Blues". His clean singing doesn't catch my attention as much as Reade does, but he easily show his different techniques in more ways than vocalists in other bands. The technical instrumentation will make sure you don't stop listening. "Ghost of Me" is a well-done standout single with amazing lyrics! Sean's incredible vocals help maintain the band's bad-a** single streak. We have more of the band's signature in heaviness in "Tether". Finally, "Small Town Syndrome" ends the album with the best the band has to offer. Not just from the two vocalists, but also the impressive instrumentalists that help run the machine.

Make Them Suffer are at the top of their game once again, helped out by Alex Reade, who has never given up after her previous band Drown This City fell apart. This album is the most incredible one by Make Them Suffer since Neverbloom, and even the mundane verse-chorus structure has some variation. They're back and stronger than ever!

Favorites: "Weaponized", "Doomswitch", "Mana God", "No Hard Feelings", "Ghost of Me", "Small Town Syndrome"