Customer Reviews

In the Name of Suffering

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am not surprised that the reviews are so polarized. 15 years after its release, this remains one of the most challenging albums ever recorded. Musically simple -even naive- the brilliance of this record is the way it captures the tragic aesthetic of the trailer park. This is a terrifying, agonizing record about poverty, racism, drug addiction, and spousal abuse. Unlike the dungeons and dragons crap that seems to obsess most heavy metal bands, EHG forces the listener to a very real world of toothless methheads, broken veterans, bad acid trips and redneck superstitions.

It's every bit as ugly as punk bands like Man Is The Bastard or Drop Dead, but (unlike those bands) there's also a musicality here that sticks with you. ITNOS crosses the monstrous heaviness of the Melvins with the raw sloppiness of early Black Flag, but under it all is a solid foundation of classic bluesy southern rock. The second album, "Take as Needed for Pain" is better, but just barely.

And, for my money, Mike Williams is the best frontman in the history of punk. Like GG Allin, he was (and is) constantly getting injured, wasted, and incarcerated. But, like Bukowski, his self-destruction is self-conscious and highly literate. Williams grins back at the abyss with a cheerful enthusiasm, as if to say: "you can't hurt me as much as I can."

Through the chaos, EHG has barely been able to put out a record every 5 years, and I think this earliest work is by far their best. So, I am happy that this record has just been remastered and rereleased. The production was always pretty good for a record of this kind, but the remaster totally blows out the low-end.

The reissue also includes the band's 1990 demo, the original versions of four tracks that were rerecorded for this record. These are mostly of historical interest, since they sound like they were recorded from single clock radio speaker. Still, that's sort of this band's style, so diehards will be pleased.

Such a tortured debut from a groundbreaking band. Those who give this bad reviews just don't get it. Man, this came out in 1992 and has influenced so many bands. Sure, there is plenty of early melvins influencing them, but they take it in a different direction than did the melvins. Catchy? No. Poppy? No. Angry, brutal, and tortured? Yes. Pick up an album that started a genre. Those who diss just don't know.

this is one of my favorite bands,but this album is NOT where to start for the uninitiated.thankfully this wasnt my first experience with them,or perhaps my high opinion of them would never have developed.
anyway,this album displays them more or less engaging in Melvins worship,not quite developing their own sound or style.the really low end muddy production doesnt help matters,either.
so skip this one and move on to "take as needed for pain".
you will thank me later

as reviewers are so fond of saying, "this one is for the fans". while the formula that later gave rise to a masterful band is all here, it is not executed well enough to be noteworthy. while there is indeed some excellent material on this release, it can also become a tedious bore rather quickly, especially for people who are not fans of eyehategod or of sludge in general. this is definitely not a very good starting point for a new listener; for that, check out their last two albums, Dopesick and Confederacy of Ruined Lives, instead.

When I'm trying to rate an album, a big factor I take into account is whether or not I get bored during any part of it, and since I find no such moments on Eyehategod's debut, it's a pretty easy five stars. This band has been all about mood since the beginning, and man do they create some painful moods on this one. The weighty Sabbath riffs, the anxiety-inducing feedback, the tortured vocals, the crushing, plodding beats...I don't really care if some people say they sound too much like the Melvins or other bands on Suffering, because to me the whole album sounds like a perfect example of how heavy sludge can get. EHG is a band borne from dysfunction, and every bit of the angst and despair comes through. Listen to it very, very loud for the best results.

perfect...disgusting...mikes vocals are amazing...sounds like hes vomitting every time he says something...amazing, production value is real, amazing...best record by ehg

Dont let the bad quality keep you from buying this album. The lo-fi sound really helps capture the mood and atmosphere of this dark and disgusting sludge album. Sludge wouldnt be as heavy if it was overproduced. Any fan of eyehategod should have this album. I wouldnt recommend it to someone that just finding out ab them. "Take as needed" is a real good beginning album

in the name of suffering is the debut from the kings of southern sludge eyehategod. when this came out critics were labeling them a melvins rip offs but at a closer listen there is alot more to ehg, it's more bluesy and painridden. micheal williams voice is vey distinct and hatefull, and the band is thick as hell. check out the debut from a very infuencial, over looked, original band.

Eyehategod are a great band; if you buy this as your first title by them you'll get a poor reflection of their ability. Recommended for... well pretty much nobody. Even die-hard EHG fans will probably not find much for them.

Get Dopesick and Take as needed... both those efforts are sludge at it's dirtiest.

Very slow, extremely dry music. Listening to this is listening to boredom incarnate. After hearing this album, I can only hope their later stuff is better. I won't be buying any of their other albums though. This stuff is dry and empty music! It's devoid of all life.