Suffocate City

The collaboration with Charnas began after The Funeral Portrait opened for Ice Nine Kills at Silver Scream Con. Lee Jennings said that following a strong fan response at the convention, Charnas expressed interest in working with the band. "Suffocate City" was chosen by Charnas as the track for collaboration following approximately six months of discussion.^[1]

The song was recorded remotely over Zoom during the COVID-19 lockdowns, with each band member recording their parts separately and sending the files back and forth. Their original studio session was canceled due to the pandemic, so they improvised to complete the song using online collaboration.^[2]

Jennings said that "Suffocate City" was always intended to be a lead track for the album, with the band developing conceptual ideas for the song and its video from the start. Collaborations with guest artists, including Charnas, were described as seamless, with Jennings stating the process allowed the band to explore new sounds. Jennings described Charnas as supportive, characterizing the collaboration as "almost like a torch passing".^[3]

Charnas said he was "thrilled" to collaborate with the band on the song and confirmed that he took part in both the recording and the accompanying music video.^[4] His vocals, described as fitting seamlessly with Jennings,^[5] appear around one minute and thirty seconds into the track.^[6]

The track had been under development for four years^[6] and was released digitally on June 21, 2024. It was the second preview from the band's forthcoming album at the time, following the track "You're So Ugly When You Cry".^[7] The music video was released concurrently with the single^[4] and was described as prom-themed by Rock Sound.^[8]

Jennings described "Suffocate City" as a mythical or "magical non-real place" where listeners can feel included or find a sense of refuge.^[2] Jennings said the song deals with themes of fear and stagnation, particularly the feeling of being stuck in a dead-end job, relationship, or financial situation,^[4] and the anxiety of never being able to get out.^[9]

Blabbermouth wrote that the song features heavy riffs and a driving chorus, evoking a sense of fear,^[7] while Rock Sound described it as "pummelling" and "explosive".^[8] New Noise Magazine described the track, noted as a fan favorite on the album, as catchy and "wonderful". It opens with a mix of electric guitars and drums, with vocals beginning around fifteen seconds in. The chorus is said to capture the essence of the band, and the vocals of Jennings and Charnas are noted for blending their styles.^[6] The track opens the album and begins with an industrial style, which feels nostalgic of the 2000s while also sounding modern. The instrumentals are described as reminiscent of My Chemical Romance, with the review stating that this combination quickly draws the listener into the narrative.^[5]

The music video shows the band performing at a school formal (prom) attended by a crowd of misfits and underwhelmed teens. Jennings said the choreography was planned within budget constraints, with friends and peers volunteering their time to help execute the video.^[3]

"Suffocate City" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart on November 16, 2024, their first song to do so. It is their first entry on any Billboard chart and their first No. 1 overall. The band is the third act in 2024 to achieve a first No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart as a lead act, and the first act to lead with a first charted track on any ranking since January 2022. Charnas also earns his first chart leader on a Billboard ranking with this song.^[12]

Credits adapted from Apple Music.^[13]

The Funeral Portrait

• Lee Jennings - lead vocals, composer
• Robert Weston - bass, composer
• Brandon Umbanhowar - drums, composer
• Cody Weissinger - guitar, composer
• Caleb Freihaut - guitar, keyboards

Additional musician

• Spencer Charnas - guest vocals

Additional credits

• Josh Landry - composer, producer
• Johnny Andrews - composer, producer