To mix Black Metal and Doom Metal was a hard trial for many bands during the 90's, until TRISTITIA (of Sweden) found a way to it with "One with Darkness" in 1994. After it, many bands did the mix in their own way, creating their own models and expanding limits. But even today only a few bands try such way, as the UK based quartet SUFFERING, and here they are with "Temen-Ni-Gru (11:11)".

The way they do things: they're a band heavily influenced by Old School Black Metal of the 90's, bearing musical resemblances with DARKTHRONE, MAYHEM and SATYRICON, or in other words, the crude and morbid approach of those days. But in many parts, the influences and slow paced rhythms of Doom Metal and Doom Death Metal are clear (especially on the ambiences of "The Faceless Disciples of the Watch" and "Blood"). It's really good to have a band with such personal work, even using a genre that was eroded by the use after so many years. The production is what anyone can expect for such musical genre: crude and harsh, with the instrumental tunes used in the most organic way possible (they seem like a rehearsal). But don't get the wrong idea; even with such approach, the whole outfit of the sound quality is dry and tries to keep things in a level that makes their musical work understandable.

"The Faceless Disciples of the Watch" sounds like PARADISE LOST (in "Lost Paradise" days) could be a Black Metal band, with contrasts between funeral and introspective parts with the rough outfit of Black Metal, with a good set of guitars arrangements. "Temen-Ni-Gru" and "Cloven Hoof" are both in a classic Black Metal trend, with solid playing of bass guitar and drums. And "Blood" brings back the Doom/Black Metal, as in the first song, and it enables the vocals to show the good Old School Black Metal shrieks. It's clear that SUFFERING has more to offer than is shown on "Temen-Ni-Gru (11:11)", but the future will enable the band to reach their full musical potential.