The Close of a Chapter has actually been out for a while. It was recorded in Quebec City, Canada in 2005. The booklet and artwork is a little different on the Relapse Records edition, but it's the same unedited recording that the band has been selling at shows and at their website for a few years. None of this however makes The Close of a Chapter less good.

The recording is from the Souls to Deny tour in 2005. The setlist is diverse and there are songs from the Human Waste EP up and till Souls to Deny. I miss a few songs from the discography, but overall the setlist is very strong.

The riffs are preformed with accuracy. It's obvious that the band is a well-oiled machine and nothing is left to the circumstances. The music is like always intense, raw and with lots of energy. In between the songs vocalist Frank Mullen interacts a lot with the crowd. I enjoy that as it adds something extra and in a way shows the band being on the same level as the fans. I've experienced Suffocation live twice so far and how the Americans are on The Close of a Chapter correspond well with what I've seen.

The sound is thick and raw, but despite that it's easy to hear what is going on. I like this as it fits the music just right. As I wrote above the setlist is full of goodies. You can't go wrong with songs such as "Liege of Inveracity", "Despise the Sun" or "Catatonia", to name three. The Close of a Chapter is a convincing effort and it's easy to understand why Relapse Records have decided to put it out.

If you're a fan of Suffocation and don't already have this live CD, then it's worth getting. In the best way it sums up just how intense these five Americans are live.