This is a TGEFM reader-submitted review. It may have been edited for content, spelling, or grammar but otherwise reflects the thoughts and opinions of the submitter.
Review by Th.E. Boyd
Good Times Records / No Time for Fun Records – 16 Dec 2021 / 01 Feb 2022
Suplex City has made a statement with their latest “Demo” release
Punching the speakers on 16 Dec 2021 (and then again on 01 Feb 2022 for an official North American release), Demo is a hard-hitting thrill ride that delivers a nearly seamless five-song lineup over the course of a frenetic and exhilarating four-and-a-half minutes. The recording style on this short release emulates a live show so well that you might just find yourself transposed to a venue with graffiti-covered walls, sweat-drenched air, and a mosh pit on a sticky floor. It’s quite an experience.
The opening song, “Suplex”, sets the tone and declares that this group is going heavily distorted and aggressive while maintaining a nice rhythm with their guitars. Although the subsequent song clocks in at a quick 39 seconds, “Thumbs Tacks” kicks the listener into the next gear with punchy, guttural vocals that compliment a fast-attacking chord progression.
“Green Mist” starts with a quick drum fill before launching into an assailing verse; what follows is a palm-muted breakdown that adds an extra dynamic tone to the song that provides depth to the listener before the second and final verse, which ends on a wonderfully truncated rhythm. There’s only one way to describe the fourth track, on this release: fast and assaulting. Suplex City’s “Feeling Froggy” defies one’s conventional sense of time by supplementing a mere 28 seconds with a single tidal wave of onslaught without getting one-dimensional; this is achieved by smooth drum fills and a forceful vocal delivery that just won’t quit.
The final track, “Elimination Chamber”, is my personal favorite and ends this release on a heavy and memorable note. The song opens with an unapologetic blast beat before the guitars ring out, feed back, and it breaks down into a verse of stomping goodness with consistent, visceral vocals that make you want to shove the person next to you. Take a listen to “Demo”! It will be a well spent 4-and-a-half minutes.
Although I enjoyed this Suplex City release, it’s not going to be for everyone. If you don’t enjoy raw, borderline grindcore-type paces and sounds, you probably won’t go crazy for this one. Having said that, I’d also be interested in hearing these songs with a better recording quality. It’s great to be transported to a dirty basement punk show, but can Suplex City’s sound hold up under clean conditions? I sure hope so, because the more I listened to this album, the more I enjoyed it. I’d like to say the same about their future releases.
