SUSPERIA

I must admit I’ve never been taken with Susperia. Their recordings have never really set me alight and live a couple of years back, supporting Mortiis, they just never got me going. However, this new album may change things for me. The first thing to hit me with this, their fifth full length, is how it goes for the throat straight away – no atmospheric intros or build-ups, which in its way is a refreshing change and immediately grabbed my attention. Where musically to put them? For me, somewhere along with Testament and Nevermore; they have that thrashy fire but mixed with a control that helps keep the heaviness intact. A well produced album always helps and the band along with Marius Strand has done a superb job allowing the album to sound sharp but alive. It seems that Susperia are a hungry band as they seem to have upped their music with each subsequent release. They are never going to hailed as an original band with their Testament-like sound but as songwriters they know how to craft good songs. And that’s what ‘Attitude’ has – great catchy metal songs. I’m sure this is what Susperia set out to do on this album so for this it’s certainly top marks. Because of this, ‘Attitude’ feels familiar from the first listen, and this may well endear them to many. Special note must go to vocalist Athera who has a great set of lungs on him and knows how to use them well in the songs helping give enough heavy metal histrionics tempered with power and control. This is an album that will help Susperia move up a league if they get the right push from Candlelight and enough people get to hear it.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Candlelight Records

Album

ATTITUDE

Review by Paul Sims

RUNNING TIME:

36:46

RELEASE DATE:

18th May 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) The Urge
2) Live My Dreams
3) Attitude
4) Elegy and Suffering
5) Sick Bastard
6) Another Turn
7) Mr Stranger
8) Character Flaw
9) The One After All

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Norway

"This is an album that will help Susperia move up a league if they get the right push..."