I've never had the chance to give Six Feet Under a proper listen in my personal life, mainly because everyone always said they were bad. However, as a new reviewer, I decided to put aside those preconceived notions and dive into this widely disliked band. And I have to say—maybe the hate is justified. A lot of it seems to stem from the main vocalist, who is a key figure in the death metal scene. He’s one of the pioneers of the genre, having started his career with Cannibal Corpse, but now, years later, this is what his vocals sound like?
Honestly, his voice sounds poorly trained and almost unfit for a death metal vocalist. While this might seem surprising given his influential past, I think it makes sense when you consider the history of death metal. When he started, there were few—if any—precedents for the vocal style he was creating, so it’s possible he never felt the need to further refine his technique. Over time, he simply never adapted or evolved, and now his vocals come off as out of sync with the band, at times sounding goofy or mismatched with the tone of the music.
Songs like “Know-Nothing Ingrate,” “Hostility Against Mankind,” and “Hair of the Dog” are prime examples of how his vocal style undermines the music. His performance often detracts from otherwise decent tracks, such as “When the Moon Goes Down in Blood” or “Spoils of War,” where the band is trying to deliver a solid song, but his vocal delivery drags it down.
But it’s not just the vocals that are problematic—the band’s performance as a whole leaves much to be desired. While they manage to play decently at times, their repetitive style, lack of experience, and tendency to stretch out songs unnecessarily hurt the overall focus of the album. The guitars, for instance, quickly become monotonous. It’s hard to tell where one part of the song ends and another begins because they all sound nearly identical. Tracks like “Know-Nothing Ingrate,” “Fit of Carnage,” and “Accomplice to Evil Deeds” blend together in a way that makes them difficult to sit through.
Another issue is the band’s inability to know when to cut a song short. They often go back into the same riffs that don’t add anything new, making songs feel unnecessarily long. For example, songs like “Neanderthal,” “Judgement Day,” and “Ascension” would have been more effective if they had just known when to stop. The riffs themselves have a strange, dated feel to them—particularly on “Accomplice to Evil Deeds.” It’s not the innovative early death metal sound that helped define the genre; it’s just a retread of tired ideas.
The bass is barely present throughout the album, and when it does make an appearance, it’s not enough to really enhance the music. It adds some depth to the songs on tracks like “When the Moon Goes Down in Blood,” but it’s hardly a saving grace.
On a more positive note, the drumming is probably the best aspect of the album, but even it isn’t free from criticism. There are moments where the drums sound groovy and tight, particularly on “Judgement Day,” “Compulsive,” and “Bestial Savagery.” They also pull off some solid blast beats on “Ascension.” However, like the guitars, the drums can sometimes feel a little too repetitive. Overall, they sound okay, but they don’t elevate the album much.
I did have to chuckle when they brought in a cowbell on “Hair of the Dog” and adopted a kind of country death metal vibe. It’s definitely a weird choice that caught me off guard, but not in a good way.
And then there’s the production, which is perhaps the most glaring issue of all. For a band with seasoned musicians, the production here feels amateurish, like something a group of high schoolers would throw together in their basement. In fact, considering how advanced home production has become in recent years, I’d say it sounds even worse than what some teenagers could do today. It’s almost shocking how poor the mixing and mastering is, especially given the band’s history and influence in the genre.
Overall, Six Feet Under’s album feels like a missed opportunity. There’s talent here, but it’s overshadowed by poor execution, lackluster vocals, repetitive songwriting, and bad production choices. If you're looking for a solid death metal experience, there are far better bands to turn to.
RATING:3.5/10
NOTABLE TRACKS:
Compulsive
Hair Of The Dog