Effigy of the Forgotten

Effigy of the Forgotten
Studio album by Suffocation
Released	October 22, 1991
Recorded	1991
Studio	Morrisound Recording, in Tampa, Florida
Genre	Brutal death metal,[1] technical death metal
Length	37:06
Label	Roadrunner
Producer	Scott Burns
Suffocation chronology
Human Waste (1991) Effigy of the Forgotten (1991) Breeding the Spawn (1993)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
Metal Storm	10/10[4]

Effigy of the Forgotten is the debut full-length album by New York–based death metal band Suffocation, released in 1991. The album features several tracks that are re-recorded versions of tracks that appeared on the band's Reincremation demo and Human Waste EP. The cover artwork was created by Dan Seagrave.^[5]

The album was dedicated to the memory of fellow metal band Atheist's bassist Roger Patterson, who had been killed in a car crash earlier in 1991.^[6]

Both this album and Pierced from Within have been re-released by Roadrunner Records as part of the Two from the Vault series.

Guitarist Terrance Hobbs said of the album's songwriting process:

"We were a bunch of kids down in a basement. Obviously, we were fans of heavy metal, and we were writing riffs on our own, so it was just a matter of putting all that together. That’s where the music came from. We’d sit together and play for hours".^[7]

Suffocation recorded Effigy of the Forgotten at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida at the same time Florida death metal band Monstrosity were recording their debut full-length Imperial Doom there. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, then-vocalist for Monstrosity recorded guest vocals on the album, recalling being asked to record vocals on the album while drinking heavily with the members of Suffocation. He recorded his vocal parts while half-drunk.^[8]

Effigy of the Forgotten is considered to be a death metal album with a highly sophisticated level of technical proficiency. The guitars, which are tuned to C Standard (four half-steps, or two whole steps, down from standard tuning) feature fast palm muted riffing, tremolo picking as well as guitar solos. The drumming involves blast beats and quick fills.^[6]

The breakdown riff found in the hook of "Liege of Inveracity" has been credited as the first slam riff in death metal, later inspiring an offshoot of death metal known as slam death metal.^[9]

Effigy of the Forgotten is considered by many one of the most influential death metal albums of all time.^[10][11]

Suffocation

• Frank Mullen – vocals
• Terrance Hobbs – lead guitar
• Doug Cerrito – rhythm guitar
• Josh Barohn – bass
• Mike Smith – drums

Guest musician

• George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher – guest vocals on "Reincremation" and "Mass Obliteration."

Production

• Scott Burns – production, engineering, mixing
• Eddy Schreyer – mastering
• Dan Seagrave – artwork