SURU are a Melodic Death Metal band from Spain, who have a Finnish name and describe their music as "brutal Goth". Their lyrical theme is pessimism according to the Metal Archives (*insert shrug emoji*), and they are clearly inspired by bands like DARK TRANQUILLITY, IN FLAMES and INSOMNIUM.  So what do these valiant Spaniards have to offer on this second full-length album of theirs that is titled "Purgatory"? How can a band play music in a genre that some bands have flogged to death since the release of "Slaughter of Souls" and still be relevant in the year 2018? And what the hell is "brutal Goth" supposed to mean?

The title song and first track on the album is really sweet, but it comes dangerously close to copying DARK TRANQUILLITY. But to give credit where credit is due: the riffs, the songwriting, the hook in the chorus - everything is really well done and written with moments of headbanging with wild abandon in mind. The same goes for the following song "Into the Grave". The third song "Invincible" is kind of insipid though. It is a slower, melancholic song that features clear singing, which just doesn't click with me. I have nothing against clear singing in Melo-Death, I'm not that guy who trashes DARK TRANQUILLITY's "Heaven" because it has clear vocals, and I find some of the more emotional INSOMNIUM songs that feature clear singing beautiful, but this leaves me a bit cold. "Chaos in Mind" is quite energetic and catchy, but again, the part with the clear vocals remind me of the Nu-Metal/Hard Rock bands of the 2000s like GODSMACK.

I guess here we finally get to understand what "brutal Goth" means. Not that there is something inherently wrong with this music, but to me the combination of Melo-Death and Hard Rock is kind of a deal-breaker. I like "Darkness Within": it sounds like a melodic, upbeat INSOMNIUM song. "Liar" is quite a good AMON AMARTH inspired banger. "Enemy of Mine" is also a ballad INSOMNIUM-esque song with some Hard Rock influences, but here they blend more nicely together then in the aforementioned songs. The album closes with a dark, aggressive song "Wasted Life" that is enjoyable, but - again - sounds a tad bit too much like an INSOMNIUM song (especially the chorus).

This album is enjoyable and has standout moments. As far as the musical skills  are concerned the band is very good: the vocals, the guitar playing, the catchy melodies and the songwriting too (with some reservations that I have expressed above). If you can't get enough Melo-Death in your life give this album a shot, just don' t expect that you will hear anything that you haven' t heard before.