“Yet again, the Scandinavian underground presents us with a black metal gem.”
Yet again, the Scandinavian underground presents us with a black metal gem. Suffering With a Smile is the debut release by the Danish act Rohan. What it lacks in album cover aesthetics, it makes up for in musical quality.
Rohan is the brainchild of Copenhagen-based musician Thomas Berg, who founded the band alone with the aim of playing death metal that honours the variety of the genre’s many eras. Berg’s extensive musical background becomes evident through the album’s technical quality. A trained ear will certainly appreciate the melodic appeal that shines through the drum bashing and brutal guitar riffs. The groovy and energetic musicianship does not outweigh the raunchy heaviness at the heart of death metal. “Fallacy”, “Individual Sanity” and “Demonized”, in particular, are true testaments to the album’s technical finesse.
Opening track “Wastes of Life” kicks off somewhat unconventionally, with raindrop sounds that gradually burst into a bludgeoning blast beat as the album’s death metal identity comes to light. The range of death metal subgenres is present within the tracks, sometimes to the album’s detriment, as it almost crosses the threshold into overexerting itself. The shift between tracks is sometimes clunky and brusque, which can take you out of the listening experience.
The title track, “Suffering With a Smile”, and “Demonized” are strong homages to traditional US death metal, reminiscent of bands like Cannibal Corpse and Immolation. Subsequent tracks like “Global War” and “Sacrificed The Lies” get even grungier and denser before offering a thunderous finale with “No More Hunger”.
Overall, I give Suffering With a Smile a strong three out of five. A worthwhile and fun little record that longtime fans of death metal can get a lot out of.
