Never a band to stay in the same stylistic place over time, Make Them Suffer’s discography is testament to their continued evolution as a band. One can look back to their more symphonic deathcore days with Neverbloom and see a distinct shift as they have moved forward. Their fourth album, 2020’s How to Survive a Funeral, saw a leap into much more modern waters while keeping one foot planted in their history. As a self-titled album four years later, and even greater attention looked at them following some high profile tours, Make Them Suffer sees them ready to make the leap into something even more modern.
This could certainly prove to be something divisive, but in listening to the album itself, it comes from a genuine place. The band has taken some sonic leaps for sure, and how you feel about them will ultimately determine how divisive the album is for you. As the guitars begin to rumble on “Weaponized” you can hear a difference in how down-tuned they sound. Alex Reade (ex-Drown this City) has joined on keys and vocals, and her contributions are rather noteworthy. She can add in screams as well as some singing, as said track will provide evidence for, and it makes it feel more dynamic. Not that Sean Harmanis didn’t have a diverse range, but this further ups the ante for the group in a great way as the two play off of each other.
The next song, “Oscillator” showcases bouncy, near-danceable synths and bass work that plays off of the groovy riffs in a distinctly modern way. It’s a fun track, made more potent by the dual vocal chorus approach. The first song debuted from Make Them Suffer, “Doomswitch” offered a nod that these changes were coming, with its crunchy grooves laced with electronic elements and soaring vocal work from Reade. Then there is “Mana God,” which is the heaviest offering but still stands out in it’s almost party feeling with grooves and upbeat synths leading the way. No doubt it’s throttling with heaviness, but it still feels fresh in a way. On the lighter side is something like “No Hard Feelings,” which features a lighter melodic tone than the tracks before it and offers a breath of fresh air for the album’s second half. “Venusian Blues” then capitalizes on that feeling, with an almost shoegaze-y vibe at points to contrast with more frantic, progressive riffing segments. “Tether” later mashes together djenty riffing with a more melodic, rock-ish chorus, further highlighting the shifts in dynamic in the songs themselves.
Truly, Make Them Suffer is the type of album you could discuss each track due to its differences. It showcases the strides that the band has made, and makes it quite evident why they chose a self-titled album name for this record. Some will be thrilled and others may not, but nonetheless it’s a album worth diving into for fans of the band or modern metal in general, to see if you can latch onto it. It’s an engrossing album that feels energetic in all the right ways, and is bound to capture many an ear with it’s contrasting melody and grooves.