Portland's own death metal ensemble, Vitriol, has announced the upcoming release of their eagerly anticipated second full-length album, Suffer & Become, slated to drop on January 26, 2024, via Century Media Records.
Accompanying this announcement is the debut of their powerful first single, "The Flowers of Sadism," complete with a compelling music video produced by Vile Luxe Entertainment.
Kyle Rasmussen, Vitriol's guitarist and vocalist, sheds light on the raw and intimate narrative behind "The Flowers of Sadism." "'Flowers' explores the topic of early developmental trauma and the resulting emotional alchemy that can lead to the development of sadistic impulses. While not being an ideal strategy in the presence of healthier alternatives, embracing my more vicious instincts was the key to my psychological and emotional survival at a time when my environment was both hostile and inescapable. It marks the beginning of a complicated journey of seduction by the necessary evils adopted in the pursuit of that survival."
Fans can begin placing their pre-orders for Suffer & Become HERE, which will be available in various formats including digital download, Standard CD Jewelcase, and limited edition vinyl in Deep Blood Red, Orange Crush, and Red/Yellow/Black Splatter – exclusive to the band's dedicated followers.
The haunting artwork gracing the album, crafted by Dylan Humphries, sets the tone for the ten-track journey into the depths of human experience, covering a runtime of 42 minutes and 14 seconds.
Suffer & Become is more than an album title; it encapsulates the grueling creative process as described by Rasmussen. The making of this album was a crucible of endurance, with efforts intended to span weeks stretching into months. For Vitriol, this labor of anguish was not in vain, culminating in an output that's both cathartic and revolutionary for the band.
Since their inception in 2013, Vitriol has been on a relentless pursuit to redefine the contours of death metal. Their sonic signature is a blend of profound darkness, relentless intensity, and intricately woven precision, not for the faint of heart. With Rasmussen and Adam Roethlisberger (bassist and co-vocalist) at the helm, the band has continuously shattered boundaries with their blistering sound.
Reflecting on the band's evolution, Rasmussen recounts the primal need for music that resonated with his aggression and frustration during his formative years. Vitriol's emergence with their 2013 demo, Antichrist, signaled a potent arrival that challenged the status quo of extreme metal.
Following their assertive declaration with the 2017 EP Pain Will Define Their Death and their potent 2019 full-length debut, Vitriol has garnered critical acclaim and established a formidable live presence alongside giants such as Nile and Morbid Angel, securing their standing as a ferocious force both in studio and on stage.
The new album, Suffer & Become, promises to reveal a dualistic nature with its composition—dark yet striving for moments of triumph and optimism, a stark contrast to the unyielding fury of their first record. Produced by Rasmussen and mixed by the esteemed Dave Otero, the album is not just a progression in musicality but also an auditory representation of Rasmussen's personal journey through torment towards a semblance of salvation.
Tracks like "Weaponized Loss" and the lead single convey what Rasmussen terms a "dark baptism," signifying the evolution of Vitriol's sound—a familiar darkness now imbued with a trace of hope. With Suffer & Become, Vitriol channels their traumatic experiences into an expression of death metal that beats with a visceral, human heart.
Suffer & Become track listing:
- Shame and its Afterbirth
- The Flowers of Sadism
- Nursing from the Mother Wound
- The Isolating Lie of Learning Another
- Survival's Careening Inertia
- Weaponized Loss
- Flood of Predation
- Locked in Thine Frothing Wisdom
- I am Every Enemy
- He Will Fight Savagely
