After falling in love with Contraband, I wanted to get a proper taste of Make Them Suffer, and the highly praised album How To Survive A Funeral was the first one I went for. It was recent so I could expect it to be a similar standard to Contraband, and the artwork deeply intrigued me, and I was looking forward to seeing if Make Them Suffer lived up to their fame in the metalcore scene.
Spoiler alert: they did. These ten songs echoed a very similar quality of sound that was extremely well polished and equally brutal and emotional, with a range so wide that post-hardcore and deathcore ended up on the same tracklist. Their reputed heaviness was undeniably showcased, whilst expanding on their melodic capabilities.
Make Them Suffer is very well defined by two or three aspects: Sean's vocals, Nick's guitarwork and to a certain degree, the female vocalist/keyboardist. Throughout this record, these three facets consistently shape every detail of the songs. I've come to understand why Sean is considered one of the best vocalists in modern metal, as it is one of the most robust harsh vocals I've ever heard. Nick's riffs are super unique, and after consuming more of their discography I've picked up on this subtle quality about his guitarwork that, I can't quite explain, but can understand well enough that I can recognize his riffs from a mile away. There's something so unique about his riffwork that sets him far apart from any other in the metalcore scene. As for the last aspect, I think the contrast in elements make for a very distinct sound, especially with the choruses and calm sections where it's most prominent, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it's the most outstanding thing about this record.
Their brutality is pristine but I find myself amazed by how raw they get with some of these tracks, and how phenomenal the writing can get at times. Sure, a decent chunk of it is just unadulterated anger, but some of the moments in the title track and The Attendant get quite emotional and intense. It definitely caught me by surprise the first time I heard them, but I've grown to like them the most out of all the songs.
How To Survive A Funeral is definitely a solid piece of work, and possibly their best work at the time, but with retrospect on my side, it's clear they're only getting better, and this record is just another step up to the next one. Personally, I've been absolutely in love with every release after How To Survive A Funeral, so I've not adored this record as much as I could've, but I can confidently say that this record is still a banger and worth checking out for someone getting into modern metal.
Rating: 7/10