Voluntary Mortification – Suffer to Rise

Voluntary Mortification – Suffer to Rise
Release Date: 22nd July 2022
Label: Rottweiler Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Deathcore
FFO: Carnifex, Suffocation, Despised Icon, Ichor.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards

Lansing, Michigan deathcore outfit, Voluntary Mortification, aim to be “a light in the darkness for those who are broken and hurting.” Their debut album, Suffer To Rise, releases this Friday, July 22. Suffer to Rise is a concept album that details the journey of a soul’s descent into hell to their ultimate redemption. The line-up is Conner Luttig on vocals, Eric Farnum on bass, Matt Kunkel and Jacob Kanklerz on guitars, and Johnny Beriault on drums. The album was produced and engineered by Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Ghost Bath, Dagon) with cover artwork by Mohammed Anam (Evocator, A Templar’s Burden).

The first track, The Wages of Sin, is an intense atmospheric intro accompanying the sound of a heartbeat. The heartbeat seems to begin to slow, and you hear the harrowing sounds of human pain and suffering, intimating that the person is nearing death and the start of the soul’s journey. Death Tremors confirms those fears, as the heartbeat flatlines and the person gasps their last breath. The music comes in immediately after on a sweet mid-tempo groove that starts the pendulum swinging. The tempo drops with the usual breakdown-y elements, but bounces back quickly with furious force. Conner makes some truly terrifying and not-quite-human sounds throughout the vocal lines, hinting at great things to come. The heartbeat motif returns at the end, restored to a regular rhythm, to underscore the idea of “death tremors.” Vindicator follows with all the subtlety of a hammer to the head. The rhythm is weighty, but it doesn’t drag, and in just a few measures they kick it into high gear with the deathcore staple blast beats. The dynamics ebb and flow ominously, and when Conner barks, “Vindicator!” followed by a mighty breakdown, you absolutely feel like you’re waiting for the ax to fall.

Valley of Slaughter begins with gentle rain sounds, but directly drops in like a ton of bricks. This is a longer, slightly slower tempo track overall, but those monster riffs don’t let up and the moving leads keep the song surging forward. The rain returns around the 3:39 mark, and we get a nice, Sabbath-y type of interlude before the gut-wrenching brutality of the final section. A bell tolls alarmingly in the distance during the final seconds, foreshadowing the next track, Silence. The bell clamors then warps, and Conner comes in screaming like a banshee over an almost funky groove. They use rests to good effect here, emphasizing both the word and the concept of silence. Memorable riffs and rhythmic variations abound, making this track a definitive highlight for me. It ends with another bell ringing, but slower this time, like a church bell. Demoncratic Society was another track I was drawn to. It begins with a spoken word section, stating, “It is usually about money, but it’s about something else as well. It’s also about what I call the arrogance of power…” The instruments follow slowly, guitars then drums, and finally, the guttural vocals. The tempo begins to build, culminating in a frenzied groove that will have circle pits exploding into action. Not to worry, there’s no shortage of breakdowns, and they bring the drama like a good deathcore band should. Likewise, The Cull has many of your standard deathcore elements, but those low-down dirty leads, harmonizing vocals, and the beautiful precision of the blast beats give this track something extra that can’t be ignored.

Abomination is a standout track with its mid-tempo groove and seriously catchy riffs. We get the obligatory drop tempos and breakdown-y elements, but when that groove kicks back in, it’s everything that is right with the world. When Conner howls, “now shut your filthy mouth!” and the tempo starts rising again, you can’t help but get hyped for the drop. The title track, Suffer to Rise, is another song that smolders rather than flares, but the riffs and the precise rhythms keep it from lagging. The lone guitar at around 2:56 is an eerie complement to Conner’s eldritch screeches, and the sparseness nicely arranges things for the climactic ending. Into Your Hands is a short, ambient piece that sets the stage for the final track. The alarm clock-type sounds, the otherworldly voices, and the discordant piano notes are very Pink Floyd. Some aspects sound as if they are played backwards, giving the feel of going back in time or floating up from unconsciousness. Crush the Serpent’s Head comes in right on the heels of the previous track, hitting hard and fast with plenty of lively leads and a pummelling rhythm. The monstrous breakdown rivals the best of them, and the vocals are just downright nasty. I can’t deny that it’s a fitting end to the story.

Overall, this is an absolutely brutal debut. The band clearly knows their way around their instruments, and the production is high quality. Although at times it feels like it’s leaning a bit too formulaic, the classic death metal grooves give it some necessary spice. The caliber of the songwriting is also worth noting, and the song structures are solid. I particularly enjoyed Conner’s expressive vocals, showcasing both his range and his technique. With a strong debut like Suffer to Rise, there’s no doubt that Voluntary Mortification is a band to watch.

(4 / 5)