Perth five-piece Make Them Suffer have used their tribulations to craft a new lineup and a new sound with their latest, self-titled album via Sharptone Records. This band excels at creating singles with unique guitars and melodies, but this time they're utilizing a wider range of elements on synth and a more robust production. Self-produced alongside returning collaborator Jeff Dunne (Disturbed, Ice Nine Kills, Fit For A King), Dunne's style is evident throughout, bringing the kind of musical depth that lends itself to thematic records. For Make Them Suffer, that theme seems to be emerging from a forced hibernation, fueled by their furious determination to be "core" commanders.
The 2020 album How to Survive a Funeral (which debuted at #17 on the Australian charts) leaned into a more straightforward, classic sound, offering fewer layers and less depth than this new record. Nonetheless, it provided a solid foundation and was a strong record in its own right, giving Make Them Suffer the space they needed to refine their lineup and shape their sound for what we're hearing in 2024. Get ready, metalcore and deathcore fans—this record is a force to be reckoned with: powerful, unstoppable, and undeniably epic.
Exploring hot-topic themes like "the level of control that governments are able to enforce and, most importantly, the control that we are often held under by our own technological devices and their algorithms," vocalist Sean Harmanis underscores the importance of creating art based on personal experiences to achieve pure authenticity, allowing fans to connect on a deeper level—something that is often missed in this genre.
Two of my favorite tracks, "Mana God" and "Epitaph," sound like 2018 Prodigy had a baby with 2007 Parkway Drive, featuring a bass-and-drum piece before introducing the first lyric, "METALCORE!" Each song on Make Them Suffer, these two tracks being no exception, showcases vocals from Harmanis and Alex Reade (also on keys), with pro harmonies that blend Harmanis' low, deep rumbles and Reade's high-octave screeches and cleans. Reade's vocals take center stage across multiple singles, especially on tracks like "Oscillator," while her fierce screams truly steal the show on "Epitaph."
"Venusian Blues" teases calming, dreamy elements before picking back up with a pitchy bridge, and rapid-fire guitars lead into a choppy intro on the next track, "Ghost of Me," while "Tether" features a particularly intriguing guitar line that adds a fresh twist. Nearing the end of the record, Reade's vocals start sounding a bit repetitive in tone, leaving me wishing for more of the powerful scream duets featured throughout. It's clear that Make Them Suffer have not only honed their sound but also cemented their place as powerful voices in the genre—returning stronger, sharper, and more dynamic than ever.
