mage: Make Them Suffer [official press photo]
Make Them Suffer have been shaking up the scene since 2008. The Australian metalcore band from Perth quickly built a name for themselves beyond their home country. They soon secured a major label deal and built a large fanbase through tours with bands like Wage War, Alpha Wolf and Chelsea Grin.
So far, MTS have released five studio albums and two EPs. We listened through the catalog and picked one track from each release. Ready? Let’s go!
Lord Of Woe (EP): "Weeping Wastelands"
After an initial demo, Make Them Suffer debuted in 2010 with their EP Lord of Woe. The record was self-released but already produced several scene favorites. Musically, the band leaned more toward deathcore than metalcore at this stage, and the production still felt quite raw. A standout is the post-apocalyptic “Weeping Wastelands.” A re-recorded version appears on their debut album Neverbloom, but the original remains part of the band’s origin story.
Neverbloom: "Widower"
Neverbloom (2012) marked the first major label release via Roadrunner Records. Musically it still sits closer to deathcore, but the production stepped up significantly. “Widower” is arguably the album’s best-known track — and for good reason. The band around frontman Sean Harmanis still performs it live occasionally. Lyrically, the song explores the emotional pain of a widower expressed through anger and destruction.
Old Souls: "Let Me In"
With Old Souls (2015), Make Them Suffer showed clear evolution, moving toward a more melodic sound. Orchestral elements and broader influences shaped the record, and the band became more experimental. “Let Me In” reflects this shift with a depressive, almost unsettling atmosphere and themes of personal struggle.
Worlds Apart: "Save Yourself"
Released via Rise Records, Worlds Apart (2017) marked a turning point. Three members left and two new ones joined. One of the biggest changes was the switch in female clean vocals from Louisa Burton to Booka Nile. “Save Yourself,” the fourth single, highlighted the band’s more melodic direction, which initially divided fans — but MTS stayed true to their path.
How To Survive A Funeral: "Soul Decay"
On How to Survive a Funeral (2020), several tracks became staples of the live set. Alongside “Erase Me” and “Bones,” the record also delivered “Soul Decay,” released as the final single before the album dropped. The song deals with a person’s inner collapse caused by their own destructive patterns, with Sean’s vocals mirroring the emotional intensity of the lyrics perfectly.
Make Them Suffer: "Doomswitch"
The 2024 self-titled album was the band’s first release via SharpTone Records and also the first to feature co-vocalist Alex Reade. Booka Nile had to leave the band following allegations of sexual misconduct. Reade incorporated both clean and unclean vocals, so Sean was no longer the sole screamer. “Doomswitch” served as the album’s first single and was released with a music video.
