SUSPERIA – Cut From Stone

Ultimately, Norway’s Susperia is a band not too easily pigeonholed into a specific Metal genre, which becomes more apparent on repeated listens. Many elements take part in Cut From Stone, the band’s fourth full-length studio effort. A style that could be said to show respect to its roots, at the same time moving forward, and whilst being quite dark and brooding in places, has a melody sense always at hand. To further solidify the broad appeal aspect, the band has toured with In Flames, Nevermore, Lacuna Coil, and Dimmu Borgir (the latter a band where drummer Tjodalv once resided). The overall Thrash influence is at times more clear; ”Life Deprived” serves up sharp riffing to demonstrate this notion, but then, at the next bend the band turns it around to something very harmonic. Thus, Susperia has something musically to offer melody cohorts as well as purists of more extreme Metal.

Vocalist Athera takes turns in coming across as the big frightening monster and adds a more sensitive stance where needed; the quieter moments early on in the thoughtful ”Distant Memory” are an example of that before a surprisingly simple Hard Rockin’ riff kicks in, making it one of the most accessible tracks on offer. An efficient shuffle of riffs and time signatures are present on ”Lackluster Day,” whereas ”The Clone” takes on the more brutal side of things, and ”Between The Lines” is fairly Traditional Thrash with the signature harmonic twist the band utilizes basically within every song. ”Release,” on the other hand, is more mid-tempo Metal, where the bass provides a memorable hook underneath the twin guitar and steady riffing. ”Under” provides more variety, even having Pop (gulp! heathen take cover!) sensibility!

The mix, powerful where guitars are concerned aside, takes things down a notch, especially with the drums. They need at least to be slightly higher in the overall mix and more constantly audible. As it is, the sound tends to come across as strangely muddy at times.

Having already reached a respectable amount of success in their home country, tours with W.A.S.P. (who, incidentally, Susperia covered with ”Wild Child” on its Devil May Care EP) and Onslaught at selected dates throughout Europe and the UK during this spring will only further their name recognition. Susperia has managed to carve a style that has a little place of its own, and as a band serve up a fine example able that moves Metal into the now and beyond, without sacrificing its heritage one bit. Let the Metal roar free.