Having listened to Suicide Silence in the heydays of Mitch Lucker, there was always something that just didn’t quite sit right. It was either the vocal delivery from the frontman or the boring riffing and predictable breakdowns deathcore has become infamous for. With their previous release The Black Crown there was slow but sure progress and then the unthinkable happened, on October 2012 Mitch Lucker was pronounced dead. Whilst not only grieving Suicide Silence decided to play a tribute show to Lucker, whilst accidentally in the process perhaps auditioning for their new singer, if they were to carry on…
Enter Eddie Hermida, of former All Shall Perish fame, having material ready it was time for Hermida to record with his new band. Following on from a frontman that had a notorious charisma and stage presence, not to mention recording on the album that would make or break their career there was no pressure. Having held everything close to their chest until it came to unleashing the monster of a record, its clear to say that it has most definitely been worth the wait. Being such an important album at a pivotal point in their career You Can’t Stop Me had to be fantastic.
From the intro dedicated to Lucker “M.A.L.” straight into “Inherit The Crown” we’re thrown to the lions, with this being on the one hand the heaviest release the boys have done and all the while the most accessible. You’ve got your groove oriented songs like the cheerily titled “Don’t Die” which will satisfy any old fans appetite you’ve got more forward thinking tracks in the form of “Warrior” utilizing new rhythms that aren’t the same old tired breakdown after breakdown approach and there is a serious dose of much needed melody injected. With the closest thing Suicide Silence will ever to come being a ballad in “Sacred Words” and the solo’s that are more adult, more thought out than the usual Kerry King-esque widdling.They have even transformed the usual breakdown with changing of notes here and there on the masterful “Cease To Exist” or a lead line underneath the rhythm that compliments it perfectly.
Although whilst continuing to move forward there are some songs that are a nice touch, the title track of the album whilst not only being incredibly catchy is a nice way to honour Lucker, although Hermida will be singing it Lucker was the one who crafted it, wrote the lyrics and thought it all up. It makes sense as its very much in the vein of the swagger and slight arrogance of the previous incarnation of the band but nevertheless its a nice touch.
Its not all about Lucker though, Hermida adds a brilliant new dynamic to the band. Giving a breath of fresh air into what is now, a very stale genre. With interesting lyrics that don’t just rely on repeating or swearing as so many deathcore bands do, it complements the new style of song writing perfectly. There is also something about the singer that has the same feel as Lucker that the band really gravitated towards simulataneously adding a distinctive sound, that harks back to old whilst sounding new all at once. Adding in the little easter eggs of George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher bellow in the monolithic “Control” and Greg Puciato’s usual snarl in “Monster Within” you’ve pretty much got a winner of a record. Its also worth noting, that the two bonus tracks are very much as good as the rest of the album especially the pumelling “Last Breath”.
This is not only Suicide Silence’s comeback record but a statement of intent that Suicide Silence are the undisputed kings of deathcore. Doing right by honouring Lucker but at the same time ushering in the new era of a more mature, more calculated and just plain and simple more interesting band that has got so much potential. You Can’t Stop Me is their finest hour.
