Suffocation (band)

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Image:Suffocation Logo 1.png
Background information <tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Long Island, New York, United States</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Death metal</td></tr><tr><td>Years active</td><td colspan="2">1990 - 1998 2004 - Present</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 1em;">Label(s)</td><td colspan="2">Relapse Records</td></tr><tr><td>Website</td><td colspan="2">Official Suffocation Website</td></tr>

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Suffocation is an American technical death metal band. They fused the predominant rhythmic styles of early death metal and grindcore with complex song structures, and started a new subgenre of death metal known as "brutal death metal."[1] Suffocation is placed amongst peers such as Immolation, Incantation, and Morpheus (Descends) as being part of a genetic fragment of death metal known as "New York Death Metal", or "NYDM" for short. The band is also known for having two African American musicians (drummer Mike Smith and guitarist Terrance Hobbs) which is rare in the extreme metal scene. The band was formed in 1990 and has since released several highly-regarded releases on the once death metal label Roadrunner Records, an EP Despise The Sun on a smaller label in 1998. The band reunited in 2004 with Souls to Deny, featuring the return of original drummer Mike Smith. A self-titled album was also released in 2006.

In death metal history, Suffocation stands unique for fusing the technical with the percussive, brutal "older" styles of death metal. Suffocation integrated death metal with the muffled strumming and downstroke rhythms of speed metal while introducing more complex rhythms, a variety of influences (grindcore and thrash metal for some examples), and bizarre, mocking lead guitar; to the discriminating ear, their profound influence can be heard in many modern bands the world over.