It’s a positive for the metal movement when these old classic album are reissued with loving care to re-generate interest in underground bands. France’s Supuration, though active and prevalent even if through compilations galore, is one of the bands from the late 80’s and early 90’s death/doom movement that had yet to gain real recognition past Winter and similar bands. They had a pretty base sound, but in a small continent filled with pretenders and imitators they set a decent bar at a decent height.

Xtreem does another service in providing us with a fine compilation of Supuration’s earthly form in both the present incarnation and the former vehicle called Etsicroxe. The tracks compiled herein consist of the band’s first MCD, Sultry Obsession, a cassette rehearsal and two Etsicroxe cassette demos, all-consuming and each fit to be ingested like an animal starved to exertion. The band has a very down-doomed sound with fluid spells of speedy volatility and growling supremacy, each vying for space in your head. As opposed to individual tracks I could very well call to your attention it’s rather fitting that I use one base assemblage in reviewing this CD. Supuration, in short, is a simple band making simple doomy death metal that won’t make you throw out your Wild Rags itinerary lists, but it does keep you longing for a time when music of such primitive and unmolested relevance was a treasure to discover. For those of us that recall these days of ‘crunching death metal’ that early Roadrunner was somewhat famous for snagging on occasion this is a fine look back at what once was. It also serves as a class project in the grand study that is this glorious history of Metal 101. While not much more than a footnote or passing mention, it’s true, Supuration nestles in between some heavyweights and deserves a little attention for producing some of the better down-tempo forays into dark passages these ears sometimes forgets.    

What we have here with Back from the Crematory is a vast delving deep into the chasm of deadly frothing-at-the-mouth metal that might not seem all that ‘death-like’ when you first hear the band; that is, the typical associated artists from both Florida and Sweden issue and encompass a sound unique to the respective geographical areas. I’m not sure Supuration can be assigned to one area or assigned seating; the band just shells out some chord-crunching death metal with almost howling vocalization that leaves you gasping for impure air when you hear the music. Some of the demos are raw, loose-fitting jaunts through the nether of metal’s coveted underbelly that shows no mercy and allows no false prophets. Supuration, while somewhat rudimentary, still manages to entertain even the hardest death metal fan (like myself) and tap the senses at all the right times. The sound quality is what you might expect from the era: rough around the edges down-tempo dirges that sound just as potent today as they did some 20-years ago, but now it’s easier to appreciate them considering the modern drivel we have for comparison. In a supply-and-demand world now where metal music is concerned, it’s amazing that some of these gems are being reissued when a sad number of the “fan base” is so ignorant to such majesty awaiting anxious retrieval. While Supuration and bands of similar lumping find some small reprieve with labels like Xtreem the vast numbers of people missing such fine music is staggering even to this day. With such rarities like live tracks filling out this CD that are otherwise long lost, how does one pass this by?

This French band might not be at the level of Grave, Entombed, Sinister or even Immortalis they are too entertaining to be forgotten and this CD, with all of its polished and ‘cleaned-up’ glory, is a wonderful addition to your death metal collection.        

TRACK LISTING

*By clicking "Submit" you agree to the following Terms of Use. You agree not to post any material that is obscene, slanderous, or threatening, or that may violate any law of your country of origin or the United States or of international law. Should you wish to restrict viewing of your email address by third parties, you must select "Hide My Email." You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Metal Psalter from any claims, actions, suits, damages, or other costs arising out of any breach of these Terms of Use.

*Comments:

1.  Hypertrophy / Sordid and
     Outrageous Emanations
2.  Sultry Obsession
3.  Reveries of a Bloated Cadaver
4.  Avoid the Contamination
5.  Tales from the Crematory
6.  Suffocate Through Asphyxia
7.  Suppurated
8.  No Escape to the Chaos
9.  Damnations
10.  Thy Necrology
11.  Apocalyptic Dream
12.  No Escape to the Chaos (live)
13.  Into the Crematorium (live)
14.  Beyond the Atrocity (live)
15. Damnations (live)
16. Deceiver (live)
17. Haunted (live)
18. The Infernal Experimentation (live)
19. Apocalyptic Dream (live)
20. Thy Necrology (live)

Total playing time:  70:05

Release Date: September 15, 2011
Label: Xtreem Music

Supuration - Back from the Crematory

Reviewer: Chris

April 16, 2012