In death metal history, Suffocation stands unique for fusing the technical with the percussive, brutal "older" styles of death metal as well as for being emulated more than any other band. Forming in 1989, SUFFOCATION quickly released their 3-song debut Re-incremation. Within weeks of its existence came the interest of many labels who wanted to claim a stake to the first SUFFOCATION full-length album. The band chose to release its follow-up, “Human Waste” Ep, through Relapse Records in 1991. Complex and unrelentingly savage, "Human Waste" saw Suffocation bash out the beginnings of death metal's most visible style, the "New York" combination of blasting grindcore beats and metallic textures. This was only but the beginning... In 1991The now classic, “Effigy of the Forgotten” was released via Roadrunner Records. “Effigy of the Forgotten” took the rhythmic relentlessness of hardcore beats, put them into speed metal structures, and overlaid off-time counterpoint structures. "Effigy of the Forgotten" took SUFFOCATION to a new plane, taking the multiple languages of music and unifying them in an evocative, thundering chorus of death metal. In 1993's the band released their 2nd full-length album “Breeding The Spawn” via Roadrunner Records.

Thunderously heavy and rigorously artistic, "Breeding The Spawn" surpassed expectations. Highly rhythmic, Suffocation's second album built on the legacy of their first with more emphasis on the bearing weight of repeated changing / off time rhythms (see later day practitioners MESHUGGAH) and a SLAYER-derived sense of melody.. After the release of “Breeding the Spawn” SUFFOCATION hit the road for months on end bringing their jaw-dropping live performances to both their devoted legions of followers and hordes of wide-eyed new devotees... Following the release of 1995's “Pierced From Within” via roadrunner Records, SUFFOCATION embarked on successful tours of Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the United States, playing to thousands and enjoying increased album sales. In 1998, Suffocation released the EP, “Despise the Sun” via Vulture Records. "Despise the Sun" contained A savage example of engaging, energetic, and insightful death metal with no letup in intensity. In September of 2000 Relapse Records reissued “Despise the Sun”.