The band formed in 1990 and has since released many highly-regarded recordings on several labels, including the former powerhouse of the genre, RoadRunner. Their debut, Effigy of the Forgotten, is considered a classic by most, topping the charts of many fans' "all-time favorites" lists. Also worth noting is their debut EP, Human Waste, which was the first official release on Relapse Records in 1991.
The band went through a few member changes before briefly disbanding after their release, Despise the Sun (1998), coming back together in 2002, later in 2004 releasing their next album Souls To Deny. A video for the song, Surgery of Impalement, has been featured on such outlets as Headbanger's Ball and Uranium.
In 2006, They released the self-entitled, Suffocation on Relapse. A videoclip was made for the song, Abomination Reborn. The song and (most of) the band was featured in a commercial for, appropriately enough, The History Channel's series, Dark Ages.
In 2007, the band left Relapse Records. Their next album, Blood Oath, will be released through Nuclear Blast Records, with whom the band signed in September, 2008. There is a rumored concert DVD in the works, but contractual disputes and alleged theft of the source material have delayed the project.
In early 2012, Mike Smith announced his departure from the band. For the remaining shows that year, Dave Culross of Decrepit Birth replaced him on drums.
In 2013, the band released "Pinnacle of Bedlam" and in 2017 the brutal death metal powerhouse put out their latest record, "...of the Dark Light" - last album to feature original vocalist Frank Mullen.
In late 2018, band founder Frank Mullen quit the band. Ricky Myers, of Disgorge, is the current live vocalist.
Redemption
Suffocation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reborn and replenished to reflect sights unseen
The sins of the fallen will be exceeded by the sins of all
To cross through the kingdom of fire and blood
Possession of fate and destiny misplaced
Betrayal and abandonment embraced
Disingenuous fate for all to suffer
The protection of all placed into the wrong hands
Mass deception passed down repeatedly
False impressions of truths instilled
Force of negativity, doorway scrolls
Oath, beg, absence, redemption
Paranoid, abandonment, betrayal
Murder, genocide
Redemption, rise above the pain and horror
To survive this reign of hell on earth
Remit absolution climb out of the shadows
Countless more souls will pass through
For those who rise and those who fall
Disingenuous life passed down to all
Grant you the pardon of all your sins
For those who rise and those who fall
Possession of fate and destiny misplaced
Betrayal and abandonment embraced
Force of negativity, doorways, scrolls
Oath, beg, absence, redemption
Paranoid, abandonment
Betrayal, murder, genocide
Redemption
The lyrics to "Redemption" by Suffocation paint a picture of a world consumed by sin and negativity where fate and destiny have been misplaced. The chorus talks about redemption, rising above the horror and pain of life and being pardoned of all sins, but the verses reveal that the journey towards this goal is full of betrayal, abandonment, murder, and genocide.
The opening lines suggest that there was once an absolution that has been forgotten and remains hidden in the shadows. The singer then talks about being reborn and revitalized to reveal sights yet unseen. The following lines suggest that the sins of the fallen have been surpassed by the sins of all, as if all mankind is guilty. The singer also references a kingdom of fire and blood to describe the desperation of the situation.
The second verse talks about the disingenuous fate that all must suffer as well as the force-feeding of hate that perpetuates negativity. These negative forces have wrongly possessed the protection of all, and mass deception has been passed down through history, spawning false impressions of truth. Finally, the song returns to the idea of redemption- anybody can rise from this pit of despair and the "pardon of all your sins" can be granted.
Line by Line Meaning
A forgotten absolution remains within the shadows
The possibility of redemption exists but goes unnoticed due to darkness and obscurity
Reborn and replenished to reflect sights unseen
A renewed sense of purpose that reflects things that haven't been seen before
The sins of the fallen will be exceeded by the sins of all
Everyone, not just those who have already fallen, will be guilty of great sins
To cross through the kingdom of fire and blood
To pass through a place of violence and intense suffering
Possession of fate and destiny misplaced
The control over one's fate and destiny is in the wrong hands
Betrayal and abandonment embraced
The feelings of betrayal and abandonment are accepted and internalized
Disingenuous fate for all to suffer
A fake or insincere destiny that leads to universal suffering
Force feed this hate to rise and to fall
Hate is purposely instilled in order to cause conflict and turmoil
The protection of all placed into the wrong hands
The people responsible for protecting others have failed or are unworthy of that responsibility
Mass deception passed down repeatedly
A widespread and repeated pattern of lies and deceit
False impressions of truths instilled
Misinformation or lies that are presented as truthful
Force of negativity, doorway scrolls
A powerful force of negativity that leads to dark and dangerous paths
Oath, beg, absence, redemption
A cycle of pledging, pleading, being distant, and seeking redemption
Paranoid, abandonment, betrayal
Feelings of fear, loneliness, and distrust from being left behind and deceived
Murder, genocide
Killing on a large-scale or the eradication of a particular group of people
Redemption, rise above the pain and horror
Seeking forgiveness and rising above the hardships and terrors of the past
To survive this reign of hell on earth
To endure a period of terrible suffering and chaos
Remit absolution climb out of the shadows
To offer forgiveness and emerge from a place of darkness
Countless more souls will pass through
Many more people will experience this situation and its aftermath
For those who rise and those who fall
For everyone, regardless of success or failure
Disingenuous life passed down to all
False and insincere ways of living passed on to successive generations
Grant you the pardon of all your sins
Offering forgiveness for all wrongdoings
Possession of fate and destiny misplaced
The control over one's fate and destiny is in the wrong hands
Betrayal and abandonment embraced
The feelings of betrayal and abandonment are accepted and internalized
Force of negativity, doorways, scrolls
A powerful force of negativity that leads to dark and dangerous paths
Oath, beg, absence, redemption
A cycle of pledging, pleading, being distant, and seeking redemption
Paranoid, abandonment
Feelings of fear and loneliness from being left behind
Betrayal, murder, genocide
Deceit, killing, and mass killing
Redemption
The act of seeking and receiving forgiveness or salvation
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHEL RUBINI, CHARLES VINCENT SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bert Berw
Who knew that Death metal could hit your feelings so hard? That part at 3:00 rips my heart out of my body... just beautiful
David Munoz
Reason why this because one of my favorite suffocation songs.
coolStoryBro
normal people will never understand how incredible this is
Marquez in Da Flesh
I wish I had a time machine that pit looks so fun but they need to work on there stage dives I saw like 5 people bust there ass lol
Curatoreamilanello
I love not be normal 🤘
David Blum
coolStoryBro Then i guess im not normal ;D
EsruKursE
Well, I guess I'm not normal.
Lisa Bella Donna
One of my favorites of their many masterpieces. Mike Smith straight KILLING IT!!!!!
YourMomFavorite
🤟🏾🤟🏾🔥🔥🔥🔥
Le Fond de Enfer
i guess they have their own style which not everyone understands, i think their music is much more complicated, for example - when i was playing guitar for 7 years i didn't like them much.. maybe few songs and now, after more then 10 years playing and 8 years of writing, thinking about song structure and etc.. i understand how good they are...