Album/EP

Make Them Suffer - Worlds Apart (Album Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Aug 3, 2017

7 min read

MAKE THEM SUFFER – Worlds Apart
Released: OUT NOW

MAKE THEM SUFFER Line up:

Sean Harmanis – unclean vocals
Nick McLernon – lead guitar
Tim Madden – drums
Jaya Jeffery – bass guitar
Booka Nile – keyboards, piano, clean vocals

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Make Them Suffer has most definitely upped the ante with their third studio album, Worlds Apart. The addition of Booka Nile and her soaring clean vocals that compliment front man, Sean Harmanis’ deathly guttural bellowing is something to behold. Harmanis, in a recent interview with Wall of Sound, acknowledging her energy, “We’ve got soaring vocal passages that sit at the top of a few tracks, creating some cool dynamics and cool melodies – it’s a bit more of a sort of serial euphoric vibe compared to some of our previous work.”

To be honest after hearing the band’s first single, ‘Fireworks’, the impact, personally, was a bit underwhelming. Its only when you give Worlds Apart your full undivided attention does its beauty and power transcend to its audience. Sure in essence it's still deathcore but the progression of the band is obvious and whilst Neverbloom fans may still argue it lacks the ‘in-your-face’ deathcore some would more relish, it’s another step forward for the band following on from the equally impressive Old Souls album from 2015.

Lead track, ‘The First Movement’ sets the scene for the new MTS, with a heavy reliance on the clean soaring female vocal from Booka Nile. It’s fresh and though it lands some patent MTS breakdowns latter in the track, it should translate well to the live stage. After a short almost majestic keyboard/piano intro to next track, ‘Uncharted’, Nick McLernon’s beasty guitar and the heavy bass of Jaya Jeffrey settle into a more groove metal, energy boost with Harmanis quickly channelling his anger within with some penetrating gravelly vocals.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJSBVYVqG50&w=640&h=360]

In fact, the first four songs from Worlds Apart are quality in particular, 'Vortex (Interdimensional Spiral Hindering Inexplicable Euphoria)'. Yes, the song name is fucking inexplicable but the impact cannot be denied. A song that quickly made its way into this reviewers Top 5 songs of the year let alone this album release. From the double kick immense drumming talents of Tim Madden to the machine gun like riff, into Harmanis’ angered vocals and screams to Nile’s croon. Simply stunning.

From there, some hits and misses.

The single, ‘Fireworks’, as stated, is relatively bland in comparison to the first few tracks from Worlds Apart and then ‘Contact’, with its few minutes of sci-fi ambience instrumental, was an interlude that just seemed forced on the album as a whole. ‘Power Overwhelming’ missed the mark for me with far too much computer integration and background gibberish though ‘Midnight Run’ quickly rights the ship with more of that progression the band showcased earlier on the record. ‘Dead Plains’ continues in a similar vein albeit following a minute's build up that is there more to enforce the band’s power than anything else before concluding with ‘Save Yourself’, where Nile and Harmanis combine beautifully to craft something a little left field for this band.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM4D95ZRK5Y&w=640&h=360]

It's hard to criticise a band for wanting to move forward in their craft. Worlds Apart is without doubt another stepping stone for MTS moving forward and they have unearthed a gem in the creative talents of Booka Nile. The positives far outweight the negatives for this record and I'm more than interested to see what lies ahead for MTS once they work and tour together with this new line up.