Oozing with raw savagery, the brand new single "Mana God" from Make Them Suffer blisters between deathcore and palpitating electronic urgency.
Out today via Greyscale Records in Australia and SharpTone Records for the rest of the world, "Mana God" reveals another layer ahead of the release of Make Them Suffer's forthcoming self-titled studio album, due out on November 8. Get it here.
Wielding slightly new sonic terrain for Make Them Suffer as they approach the release of album number five, "Mana God" showcases some of the heaviest moments lying in wait on Make Them Suffer, releasing today with an accompanying music video.
"There is a fine line to tread when discussing a song like 'Mana God' without sounding like a crazed conspiracy theorist," shares vocalist Sean Harmanis. "I feel we've now reached a point in time where the systems of control in our day-to-day lives are both present and obvious to most rational minds. Despite this, having conversations about topics like this are becoming increasingly difficult and are often considered inflammatory."
He adds, "'Mana God' is a song about control. The control that the media can have over our thoughts and views. The control that religious organisations can have over people's lives. The level of control that governments are able to enforce and most importantly the control that we are often held under by our own technological devices and their algorithms."
Harmanis continues, "Most people today would know at least one or many who have been driven to the brink of madness by the echo chamber of their phone or computer. I notice many of these people being shunned, ostracised from their communities and held prisoner by their own confirmation bias, force-fed to them through their phones. I don't see the people as the issue, rather the devices, for the breakdown of human connection."
He finishes, "'Mana God,' to me, is a call to action, to break away from the current systems of control and return to a space where communication and human connection are nurtured and encouraged."
Amongst a lineup change, a global pandemic, and the residual reality of external expectations, Make Them Suffer faced ongoing hurdles leading into their fifth studio album; and yet the band's self-titled 2024 full-length is one unflinchingly driven by cohesion and candor, simultaneously honoring their past while expounding their present in torridly authentic fashion.
Tracing its origins back to 2022, the new Make Them Suffer era was first set in motion by the announcement of Sean Harmanis (vocals), Nick McLernon (guitar), Jaya Jeffery (bass), and Jordan Mather (drums) releasing the blistering single "Doomswitch" as well as joining forces with Alex Reade taking up the role of backing vocalist and keyboardist, aka Make Them Suffer's trademark "Fifth Member." Following on with singles "Epitaph" and "Ghost Of Me," Make Them Suffer ultimately crafted their forthcoming new album in between an exceedingly busy international touring schedule as live music opportunities continued to rise in the post-pandemic landscape.
Self-produced along with returning collaborator Jeff Dunne (Disturbed, Ice Nine Kills, Fit For A King) on engineering, mixing and mastering duties, Make Them Suffer is ultimately a dynamic return to heavier terrain bolstered by bold new elements, representing a new chapter that also honours and snapshots the hurdles and hard work faced by Make Them Suffer along the way.
Tracklisting:
"The Warning"
"Weaponized"
"Oscillator"
"Doomswitch"
"Mana God"
"Epitaph"
"No Hard Feelings"
"Venusian Blues"
"Ghost Of Me"
"Tether"
"Small Town Syndrome"
(Photo credit: Kane Hibberd)
