Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten

Pretty much inventing the inverted blastbeat, Suffocation here realize all of the goals that were set forth in their early days. The production is a bit dampened (it sounds like the band is playing through cotton), but not even that can maks what is a truly remarkable album. Whatever you want to call this, grind or death, this is just plain brutal. Killer twin guitar work over the just plain inhuman drumming of Mike Smith make this a mandatory release, but don't take my word for it, for in the history books, Effigy is THE album the started the whole Long Island metal scene going. Minor complaints in the vocal department, where the cookie monster growl is in ful effect, but as I said, minor, for this album is a masterpeace of excess vs. refinement in metal. Classic.