You guys changed your name from “Mercy Shot” to “Suffocate”. What is the story behind the new name and does it have any influence on the vibe of your music?
Since the name Mercy Shot was already taken, we decided to change our name to avoid misunderstandings, our newly presented band name “Suffocate” came to us after brainstorming different ideas. From all the potential band names thrown around, we finally agreed upon the name Suffocate, since it represents how a big percentage of the society feels. Depending on which song we are playing a few of our songs also have moments which can be breathtaking.

Hugo Nogueira Centeno, who is mostly known for being the frontman of “Lost In Pain” and “Praetor” recently joined your band as your drummer. Do you think that it will change the dynamic of the band and the songs?
Yes, after Hugo joined our Band, we kinda felt that our songs became more dynamic and as a songwriter himself he brought a new spirit and an overall sense of arrangement to our music.

How does it feel for Hugo to take over the spot behind the kit? Given that it is his first time playing the drums in a band.
It feels good but also challenging since it is not his main instrument. Suffocate is his first band as a drummer.

You brought out two songs during the pandemic: “Pills Addict” and “The Day I Lost My Life”. Was the songwriting process any different under these special circumstances?
The lack of concerts forced us to concentrate on our songwriting. We wrote new stuff and polished the older ones.

The Luxembourgish hardcore scene was quite strong a few years ago. Do you think that this changed during recent years, as some bookers who were really pushing the genre (such as Dying Blood Crew) are not currently active?
We miss the hardcore scene but on the other hand we feel like the next concerts will be booming with new faces!

Having members who were active in bands all across the metal genre in your group, what do you think is the biggest strength and do you think there are any drawbacks to that?
For now, we’re digging that kind of mix. We love the approach of different styles in our band, that’s something that actually helps us keep things fresh.

If you could play any international music festival, which one would it be and why?
Dare to dream but at the moment we would already be happy to play as many gigs as possible.

How did you guys handle the pandemic, and have you got anything planned post-Covid?
We used this gap in our life to rehearse and work on our songs and to melt ourselves as a band. Plans after COVID-19? Album recording and to play a max.

---

Check out Suffocate here:
Facebook
Instagram

---