Suffocate Faster

Suffocate Faster frontman Chris Alsip (aka Chris Awesome) knows all too well the pitfalls of genre classification. Although the Cincinnati quartet considers their sound to be their unique take on Straight Edge Hardcore, shaped by a foundational love of bands like Earth Crisis and Minor Threat, they've been lumped in with any number of related genres. Alsip says he and the band try not to concern themselves with the semantics of heavy music while remaining true to their Hardcore sound and vision.

"Hardcore should always have a message of anger, overcoming problems, helping the people you love, your scene and so on," says Alsip. "Some critics say we're singing about the same old stale things, but they don't understand that's the point of our genre. To embrace our friends and shun our enemies. Sorry we don't sing about corpses or flowers and we don't have a zillion blast beats or Cookie Monster growls. We aren't Death Metal and we're not Positive Youth. We just play Hardcore the way we want."

Suffocate Faster has been playing since early 2001 when guitarist Chris Towning, drummer Joey Ray and bassist Josh Dumford dissolved their previous outfit, Window Pain, and re-emerged with guitarist Aaron Patrick, a new vocalist and a new name. Problems with the vocalist led to conversations with Alsip, who was fronting One Nation Under, but felt something in the band's mix was missing. By the fall of 2001, Alsip joined and found the chemistry he'd been lacking.

The band's lineup remained in flux as Dumford exited the band in 2002, replaced by Josh Secrest. Two years later, this lineup recorded Only Time Will Tell, but by year's end, Patrick had departed to join Bury Your Dead, leaving Towning as sole guitarist. The turmoil didn't affect the music, as Time garnered the band a great deal of interest, particularly among their peers.

"Our good friends Chad Gilbert and Ian Grushka from New Found Glory started a label call Broken Sounds and put us out," recalls Alsip. "I had expressed my angst toward the music industry to Chad because no one would put our record out. He told me he wanted to start a label and would put it out, no problem, which he did. We will always love him for that."

Gearing up to record their second album, Secrest left and Dumford was invited to rejoin. Suffocate Faster poured their energy into the visceral density of their latest album, Don't Kill the Messenger. For Alsip, the differences between the two albums are clear.

"It's just a better record, plain and simple," he says. "We took more time to write it, we're a little more experienced and the recording blows our first CD away. We were more focused on making an impact on the music world through heavy, intelligent songs."

For Messenger, Suffocate Faster signed with 1981 Records, a well-regarded Straight Edge label out of Florida, in order to expand distribution. Considering the band's increasing touring range, the shift to 1981 was a sound decision.

"We had played some shows in South Florida and (they) expressed interest in us, but at the time we had offers from bigger labels. As time passed we saw more and more flaws with these labels and got back in touch with 1981. We figured since we're a Straight Edge band and they're a Straight Edge label, it could mean big things for us."

Suffocate Faster has been getting their name around through constant touring and opening for a variety of bigger bands and different audiences. Combined with the solid acclaim that's greeting Don't Kill the Messenger, that should raise the band's profile as they head into 2007. They're committed to do whatever is required to push themselves to the next level.

"We plan on being out for nearly seven months this year," says Alsip. "Also, we've already started writing our new record and we'll be demo-ing tracks next summer and fall. Plus we're looking to be on some big tours -- our fingers are crossed. Our record should be getting another push soon so hopefully we can sell a ton by the end of summer. It's gonna be a busy year but we're ready for it."

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SUFFOCATE FASTER (myspace.com/suffocatefaster) play Top Cat's Thursday.