Warning: As soon as you type the word “suicide” into any Internet platform—you know, like to look up a band called SUICIDE PUPPETS—you will automatically be barraged with the type of attention you probably weren’t looking for. Just saying. SUICIDE PUPPETS is an Industrial Metal foursome out of Harrisburg, PA. They recently signed with M&O Records and released new EP, “Beyond the Veil,” on October 13, 2023.

Sticking to their usual theme of death and murder, “Beyond the Veil” features five quick tracks about serial murders from fictional what-ifs like ‘What if a serial killer was a member of metal band?’ (“Death Note”—sorry, nothing to do with the manga or Netflix series) to ruminations on ways to be murdered (“1000 Ways to Die”) to what might go through the mind of a serial killer (“Prey”) to explorations into what a killer’s everyday life might be like (“Everyday” and “Sinner”). For those hoping for a JUDAS PRIEST cover of “Sinner,” sorry. 

A few things that struck me about the album. As far as Industrial goes, it’s a bit on the light side. This might be down to the introduction of keyboards, apparently new for the band, which adds a symphonic layering. The result is more harmony than dissonance, and hence the lightened touch. Not that synths can’t add discord, but in this case it’s about coherence and melody. The tracks are all also fairly short—nothing above four minutes. So, the whole album comes at you very quickly and then is done. Like a serial killer attack.

Of the six (!!) band members, four have ‘suicide’ in their names. When the RAMONES did this, it was about creating a sense of brotherhood amongst the then juveniles. Here it feels like a schtick. Add that to the short tracks and, yeah, it’s hard to take them too seriously. Which might be the point, and that’s okay.

Best tracks: I leaned to “1000 Ways to Die” mostly for its switch at around 2:20 when the band finds a riff and goes exploring—adding choral flourishes, jumping the tempo, laying in a mean solo. I also dug “Everyday,” especially the line: “The only motherfucker I’m afraid of is me.” “Sinner” is also a very solid track. Probably the heaviest on the album, though the symphonics dampen the effect.

“Beyond the Veil” from SUICIDE PUPPETS as a deep dive into the serial killer mind is exceptional. As an innovative slab of metal it is good but not terribly distinctive. It feels like the band opted to go more mainstream—shorter tracks, symphonic synths. Relative to a lot of the extreme underground metal out right now, the overall delivery felt light, giving the otherwise dark theme a forced feel.