RSS Feed


SIX FEET UNDER
Next To Die

Metal Blade (2026)
Rating: 6/10

So here we are again, Six Feet Under’s 100th full-length that surely can’t be as bad as the last 99, can it? Now, I’ve never been much of a Six Feet Under fan, and I’m bemused as to how and why anyone can be a fully fledged supporter of such goofy gore metal. Made all the more daft by Chris Barnes’ daft squeals, the Tampa Bay, Florida-based band’s discography has succumbed to some severe criticism over the years and rightly so.

Dripping with unintentional lashings of cheese, Six Feet Under has fallen by the wayside, only worshipped by an avid bunch of disciples who obviously don’t realise that the death metal genre is far more rewarding and credible elsewhere. Even so, Metal Blade Records remains in support of an act whose reputation for being bad means that Next To Die then, on form, should be a stinker of an album, but, shock horror, it’s not.

Beginning with the lumbering ‘Approach Your Grave’, the combo veers towards a doomy traipse laced with Barnes’ chesty coughs sounding a bit more convincing than usual, especially now there are less of those god awful “eeeee” gasps. There are the expected groovier elements of the band’s sound and Next To Die, while still failing in crushing the listener, is still a listenable platter… somehow. Barnes sounds less strained, maybe due to the man’s well achieved sobriety, so good on him for taking positive steps over the last few years.

Musically, it’s all a bit more coherent too, and guitarist Ray Suhy’s solos are a highlight throughout. ‘Destroyed Remains’ is, admittedly, your bog standard Six Feet Under composition, although it does race with energy and vigour, particularly in the percussive department of Marco Pitruzzella. There’s still something underwhelming about the Six Feet Under sound, a somewhat thin din in comparison to what else is going on within the scene, but I’ve really tried with this opus, and I feel that the band has too. There’s a strong 90s vibe about a majority of the cuts, Six Feet Under bridging a gap between old school stodge, particularly in the bass tone, and cleaner, slightly more modern dynamics.

Lyrically, it’s all a mix between the childish and the routine, but because Barnes sticks to the deathly grunts rather than the silly squeals, the album feels more authentic and organic. There are a few songs that standout for me, namely the closer ‘Ill Wishes’ which again, like the first cut, incorporates a doomy aspect. It’s the most atmospheric track on the album, Barnes’ vocals working well in tandem with the oozing riff and the measured, stabbing drums. ‘Wrath And Terror Takes Command’ also implements slower techniques resulting in slick spiralling lead work and the slow jab of percussion. Those slower moments which litter the album really do dig their talons in and make nice breaks from the aggressive bread ‘n’ butter speed merchants such as ‘Mutilated Corpse In the Woods’, ‘Mind Hell’, ‘Grasped From Beyond’ etc., which are fun if formulaic.

There’s still that odd production which results in a lack of density, and nothing here rams its message home, but there’s a few silly heaps of infectious goo to lend an ear to, especially the hilariously titled ‘Mister Blood And Guts’ with its punky groove and dodgy lyrics: “Blood curdling screams from the back row, Blood runs crimson red from someone you know, Went for a night of fun at the picture show, Now they’re lying dead, in blood from head to toe”. The title slice is effective, especially the bony bass line and the general pace of the composition, and ‘Skin Coffins’ clambers in similar fashion, the spine of bass holding the jamboree together as Barnes serves the steady vocal spew.

But let us not get carried away here, Next To Die exists just above average on the death metal scale, but that still makes it a better record than the last. It also features one of the Six Feet Under’s better album covers too, with artwork courtesy of Sandy Rezalmi. So, this is a pleasantly surprising return to “form” for the combo, an album still flawed and goofy but with enough focus and solid musicianship to carry it beyond the realms of being shit.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share