Feb 202013
 

(Suffocation’s new album Pinnacle of Bedlam is a stunner, but what did you expect? As TheMadIsraeli said in our review of the album, Suffocation “define the three things that make a great band: Consistency, legacy, and relevancy.” We’re honored to present Andy Synn’s interview of Suffo’s uber-bassist Derek Boyer.)

So a couple of weeks back I was asked if I wanted to interview Suffocation… and who could say no to something like that? I wasn’t aware who exactly would be answering my questions, so I tried to make them of a type that could easily be answered by any and all members of the band. In the end it turned out to be uber-bassist extraordinaire Derek Boyer who was tasked with responding to my inane queries, and – all credit to him – he did so in a thoroughly entertaining and really detailed manner.

You’ll notice that I didn’t bother to touch on any of the recent line-up changes, the he-said, she-said back and forth between the band and departing drummer Mike Smith, or even the storm-in-a-teacup that was Fran Mullen’s decision to cut down on his own ability to tour. These have all been covered pretty thoroughly elsewhere, and, as I think you’ll see, it seems like Derek certainly appreciated not being asked about them for the 100th time.

Ultimately, I hope he got some enjoyment out of answering the questions himself, and I hope you all appreciate his answers and his generally very friendly and relaxed demeanour, which really comes across despite the limitations of the email interview format! Continue reading »

Mar 152010
 

Those brutal tech-death godfathers from Suffocation are playing in Europe now, and some HD video of their show last Friday in Utrecht, Holland, has become available. The audio is decent, and the video — well, it’s HD and it’s great.

You get clear shots of Terrance Hobbs shredding with dreds flying, Derek Boyer playing his bass like he usually does (i.e., with the instrument almost vertical), a few glimpses in the background of Mike Smith hammering the shit out of the kit, Guy Marchais calmly riffing away on the right, and of course Frank the Tank with tongue wagging and hands tomahawk-chopping as he blasts out those brutal vocals.

If you’re a Suffo-addict like we are, this is fun to watch. All that’s missing is video of action in the pit — but we can imagine the mayhem.  Enjoy these videos of “Thrones of Bones” and (after the jump) “Suspended in Tribulation” and “Breeding the Spawn.”

Thrones of Bones

(two more videos after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

Jan 132010
 

It’s 2010, and last night two of your NCS Co-Authors made it to our first metal show of the new year as the “Bound By the Road Tour” barreled its way through Seattle. We emerged unscathed (barely) with a few decent photos, which we hope to put up a bit later today, and this report.  [Editor’s note: we’ve now got photos from NCS Author Alexis up in this post for all the bands but DevilDriver.]

In a nutshell, experiencing a night with the likes of Thy Will Be Done, Goatwhore, Suffocation, and DevilDriver was the sonic equivalent of being suspended by your ankles over a blast furnace. It was an intense, blistering, full-bore onslaught by four bands who are superb live musicians and know how to whip a crowd into a frenzy.

And for the cherry on top, we got to see three of the most charismatic frontmen in the business on one bill: Dez Fafara, Frank Mullen, and Ben Falgoust (and J. Costa is no slouch either). What a truly ass-kicking way to start a new year of live metal in the Emerald City! Now, for a few details about each band’s performance (after the jump). Continue reading »