Late last week, Suicide Silence released their new single, “Doris”, accompanied by a 360 degree music video featuring both live performances, as well as footage from the band in studio recording their new self-titled album, set to release February 24th, 2017. Within the week of the release, the general feedback from fans on the new product has been surprisingly negative and shockingly hostile in some aspects as some are threatening to stop following the band completely. I’m sure the reaction from the band’s following isn’t what the group was hoping for, but possibly expected as “Doris” contains a sound that doesn’t resemble what would be expected in a Suicide Silence track.
“Doris” is introduced with a bluesy, rock and roll guitar solo, followed by a brief moment of heavy chugging and double-kick-drum blasts, and then falls off into melodic strumming and the clean vocals of Eddie Hermida. In that moment, when the melody and clean vocals began, I believe is when people had their knee-jerk reaction to the changes Suicide Silence is clearly making. The single has very little representation of what a “normal” Suicide Silence song sounds like as “Doris” has a more Nu Metal vibe, with plenty of Deftones inspiration. When compared to the fierceness in the past discography of Suicide Silence, “Doris” is evidence that the band is exercising growth within the group and their sound, which is completely normal and to be expected with any band. However, with the drastic inspiration change displayed in the new single, this seems less like growth and more like a diving head first into completely new waters.
One way to look at this is that Suicide Silence is becoming just what some fans were saying the group already was with the addition of Hermida; a new band altogether. Some (including myself at one point) believed that after the passing of Mitch Lucker in 2012, the name Suicide Silence should have been retired, allowing the other artists of the group to explore new roads whether it was together or apart. I understand that Lucker was not the only one involved in creating the group, or the sole reason for their success; we’ll sum that up with, “It’s a team effort.” However, it was and is now still apparent for many that Mitch Lucker was the essence of Suicide Silence. Between albums, “The Cleansing (2007)” and “The Black Crown (2011)” I found that albeit the music was well written and gave each track the brutality Suicide Silence strives, or strived for, Lucker was that final hit home. The range of deep growls, to punishing high pitch screams, Lucker’s vocals were as unique as they were menacing.
With the group making their newest effort a self-titled, as well as daunting a new, cleaner looking logo, it’s to be assumed that the band is reinventing themselves and instead of living under the impression Lucker left behind, the current members of Suicide Silence seem to be moving forward and out into their own like, and truly finding their new sound. Although a massive difference from the usual formula is now anticipated for the self-titled album, I think it’s too early to write off the band, especially based off of one single. The upcoming album will be the second album with lead vocalist Eddie Hermida, since he joined Suicide Silence in 2013 after exiting his band, All Shall Perish. Although Hermida is a talented artist and possesses a unique voice of his own, I still haven’t been sold on his involvement in the Suicide Silence, and still found him to be more notable in the All Shall Perish albums.
I’m anxious to hear the upcoming album and as of right now, it’s too early to tell what I’m going to think of the new material and will wait to hear the entire effort before passing judgement. For the “fans” that have been threatening to stop following the group altogether, I’m going to finish this piece with a quote for you from Slipknot/Stone Sour front man, Corey Taylor:
“Change, by nature, is violent and jarring and at first uncomfortable. But trust me- it is completely necessary.”