The Artist of the Week: Supplication (New Hampshire, USA)
The other day I was digging around for something new to listen to. You know how it goes.. you scroll, you click, you sample a riff here and there. Out of nowhere, I landed on this band from New Hampshire called Supplication. I didn’t know what to expect, but what hit me was a sound that refuses to stay still. One second I was getting crushed by a slam-heavy breakdown, the next I was spun into grindcore chaos, and before I could catch my breath they were pulling technical riffs that bent everything sideways.
That’s when I knew this wasn’t just another underground act lost in the noise. Supplication has been at it since 2003, and you can feel that history in the way they play. It’s not polished for the masses, it’s not dressed up for radio, it’s raw, heavy, and completely their own.
Supplication was born in 2003 in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, USA. Brothers Erik and Mark Faro put the original idea together, aiming for something brutal, chaotic, and raw. The early years saw the typical turbulence of underground bands.. shifting lineups, small but fierce local shows, and the kind of underground presence that doesn’t make headlines but makes scars on those who were there. In 2008, guitarist Steven Dunn joined, bringing consistency to the six-string attack, and in 2024 bassist JP Egan stepped in, finally solidifying the lineup alongside Erik on vocals and Mark on drums and vocals.
This core group is the Supplication of today: four musicians who have carried the band’s sound from its formative chaos into something far more intentional.
Like many bands, Supplication hit a wall during the Covid era. Shows dried up, momentum slowed, and the band went quiet. But in 2023, after five years away, they came back. And not with a repeat of what they’d done before, they returned with a revamp, a determination to push death metal further by fusing deathcore, slam, grindcore, hardcore, technical, and even progressive elements. High energy riffs, slamming beats, off-tempo shifts, and songs that don’t stay in one genre for long.
Evolution Through the Discography
Looking at their discography on Bandcamp, you see a timeline that spans over 20 years. Releases appear in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2020, and most recently in June 2025. That spread tells you something: this isn’t a band that pumps out albums just to stay visible. Each album sounds different, heavier, more refined, more confident in its chaos.
The early work leaned heavily on slam and grind-raw, pounding, stripped down to pure aggression. It wasn’t polished, but it didn’t need to be. It captured a band intent on being as brutal as possible, even if that meant sacrificing clean structures for sheer impact.
As the years went on, you can hear the shift. Technical elements began to creep in. Hardcore influence punched holes through the songs. The riffs got sharper, the breakdowns heavier, the structures more unpredictable. By the time you reach Supplication II, the latest EP, the band has matured into a creature that thrives on unpredictability. Songs no longer just bludgeon, they twist, pivot, and collapse into grooves before detonating again.
The recent releases show a band that has learned how to harness chaos. Instead of throwing everything at the wall, Supplication builds their sound with purpose: one minute you’re slammed into the ground by a breakdown, the next you’re being ripped apart by grindcore speed, then suddenly you’re in a technical riff that feels like it came from a different universe. And yet, it all fits together.
Death Within (2004) – Demo
In their debut demo, Death Within, Supplication unleashed a raw and unrefined expression of their musical intent. The production is gritty, capturing the band's early exploration into death metal and grindcore. While the compositions are straightforward, there's an undeniable energy and aggression that hints at the band's potential. Tracks like "Eternal Misery" showcase their ability to craft intense, albeit primitive, sonic landscapes. This release serves as a testament to their beginnings, laying the groundwork for the sonic evolution that would follow.
Dismembered (2006) – Full-Length
With Dismembered, Supplication took a significant step forward in their musical journey. The album presents a more structured approach to songwriting, blending elements of death metal and grindcore with a newfound technicality. Tracks like "Another for Myself" and "Self Mutilation" demonstrate their ability to craft memorable riffs while maintaining relentless aggression. The production quality is improved, allowing for a clearer representation of their evolving style. This release marks a pivotal moment in their discography, showcasing their growth and potential.
Mutilate the Masses (2007) – Full-Length
Mutilate the Masses sees Supplication further refining their sound, introducing elements of slam and groove into their death metal foundation. The album features heavier breakdowns and more intricate guitar work, demonstrating their growing technical prowess. Tracks like "Mutilate the Masses" and "Dismembered" showcase their ability to blend brutality with complexity. The production quality is notably improved, allowing for a clearer representation of their evolving style. This release solidifies their place in the extreme metal scene, showcasing their maturation as musicians.
Supplication (2010) – Full-Length
The self-titled album Supplication represents a culmination of the band's previous efforts, showcasing a mature and cohesive sound. The compositions are dynamic, with varied song structures and a balance between aggression and melody. Tracks like "Regaining Control" exemplify their ability to craft memorable riffs while maintaining intensity. The production quality is outstanding, allowing each instrument to shine. This release marks a significant milestone in their discography, showcasing their growth and refinement as a band.
Unforeseen Consequences (2016) – Full-Length
With Unforeseen Consequences, Supplication delved deeper into their technical abilities, featuring complex compositions and intricate arrangements. The album explores themes of death and existentialism, with lyrics that add depth to the musical experience. Tracks like "Unforeseen Consequences" and "Regaining Control" showcase their ability to blend brutality with complexity. The production is polished, enhancing the clarity of their intricate soundscapes. This release demonstrates their commitment to evolving their sound while maintaining the intensity that defines their music.
Where We Begin (2016) – Full-Length
Released in the same year as Unforeseen Consequences, Where We Begin offers a more experimental approach, incorporating elements from various subgenres of metal. The album is characterized by its atmospheric passages and progressive structures, reflecting the band's willingness to explore new musical territories. Tracks like "Where We Begin" and "Unforeseen Consequences" demonstrate their ability to craft intricate compositions that push the boundaries of their sound. This release showcases their growth and willingness to experiment within the extreme metal genre.
Supplication (2016) – Full-Length
The second self-titled album by Supplication further refines their sound, blending elements from their previous releases into a cohesive and polished package. The compositions are tight, with a focus on melody and rhythm, demonstrating the band's growth as musicians. Tracks like "Regaining Control" and "Unforeseen Consequences" exemplify their ability to craft memorable riffs while maintaining intensity. The production quality is top-notch, allowing each instrument to shine. This release marks a significant milestone in their discography, showcasing their refinement and maturity as a band.
Forced Decomposition (2020) – Full-Length
Forced Decomposition represents the band's most refined work to date, showcasing a perfect blend of brutality and technicality. The album features complex compositions, intricate guitar work, and a powerful rhythm section. Tracks like "No Consequences" and "Beyond Recognition" highlight their ability to craft intense and memorable songs. The production quality is exceptional, allowing for a clear representation of their evolving sound. This release solidifies their place in the extreme metal scene, showcasing their growth and maturity as musicians.
Kill Your Mother/Rape Your Dog (2022) – Single
In this cover of Dying Fetus's iconic track, Supplication pays homage to one of their influences while adding their unique touch. The production is tight, and the performance is intense, capturing the spirit of the original while showcasing the band's technical abilities. This release demonstrates their respect for their influences and their ability to reinterpret classic tracks within their own style.
Throughout their discography, Supplication has demonstrated a commitment to evolving their sound while maintaining the intensity and aggression that defines their music. Their ability to blend various elements of extreme metal into a cohesive sound has established them as a prominent force in the genre. Each release showcases their growth and willingness to experiment, solidifying their place in the annals of extreme metal history.
The Standout Track: Alien Gnawtopsy
If there’s one song that represents Supplication’s current identity, it’s Alien Gnawtopsy. Released with an official lyric video, it’s more than just another track, it’s the best example of how far they’ve come.
The song detonates instantly, with guitars and drums racing each other to see who can break the listener first. Erik’s guttural vocals dominate, deep enough to rattle bones, while Steven’s riffs bend and shift, refusing to lock into anything predictable. Mark’s drumming is the backbone, alternating between blastbeats and grooves that feel like tectonic plates colliding, while JP’s bass glues it all together with a low end that makes everything quake.
What makes Alien Gnawtopsy stand out isn’t just heaviness, it’s the flow. Supplication changes gears mid-song without warning, but somehow it never feels forced. The transitions are brutal but natural, and the result is a track that feels like being caught in a storm that keeps changing direction. You don’t know what’s coming next, but you trust it will hit hard.
This is the track I’d recommend to anyone who wants to know what Supplication is about. If you’re curious whether this band is worth your time, start here. If Alien Gnawtopsy grabs you, the rest of their catalog will open up in new ways. If it doesn’t, that’s fine, Supplication isn’t for everyone. Their sound is too chaotic, too aggressive, too unwilling to conform. But for those who crave extremity, this is the real deal.
Should You Listen?
Here’s the honesty: Supplication isn’t for everyone. If your taste leans toward melody, clean structures, or accessible metal, you probably won’t connect. But if you want extremity that doesn’t play it safe, if you want riffs that don’t settle into easy grooves, and if you appreciate bands that experiment within brutality instead of polishing it down, then yes, Supplication is worth your time.
They don’t sound like a band trying to chase what’s popular. They sound like a band doing what they love, blending the brutality of Cattle Decapitation and Dying Fetus with technical flashes that recall Psycroptic, the grim weight of Behemoth, and even the curveball influence of Dave Matthews Band. It shouldn’t work. But somehow, it does, because it’s authentic.
Supplication has lasted more than two decades by being themselves. That’s rare. That’s honest. And that’s why, whether you end up loving them or not, they’re a band worth knowing.
Supplication is active and accessible through social media, Bandcamp, and live shows. Here’s where to find them:
Facebook: facebook.com/supplication
Instagram: @supplication_official
TikTok: @supplicationmetal
YouTube: @supplicationmetal
Bandcamp: supplication1.bandcamp.com
Merch: supplication.bigcartel.com
