13, the newest release by ex-Cannibal Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes’ side project gone full time band, Six Feet Under, delivers more of the pure, unbridled brutal death metal that the band has established a name for. The album contains, fast, heavy blast beats, dark and crushing guitar riffs, riveting bass lines, cookie monster vocals, and grotesque lyrics expressing death, murder, and suicide that all equals fun for the whole family. At a time span of only 35 minutes and 51 seconds, the band waste no time to dish out their 11 tracks of pure mayhem.
The vocalist, Chris Barns, is already well known for his role in the brutal gore/ death metal band Cannibal Corpse and his new side project band Torture Killer along with other side projects. This is for good reason, considering Chris Barnes has some devastatingly brutal growls and screams and is even a very enlightened producer (producing mainly his own albums, including this one). Seeing only one guitarist in the band, Steve Swanson, was rather shocking, considering the album is packed with ear wrenching riffs and gnarly guitar solos that sound like just one guitarist would be inept to pull off alone. The bass solos are also something worth noting, played by band bassist Terry Butler, whose bass releases the dark and evil vibes that come from the bands grisly atmospheric music. Greg Gall, the drummer, is also a very talented member of the band, who's double bass skills earn him a spot on the line of great ‘blast beat’ drummers (such as Mike Smith of Suffocation).
The first track,
Decomposition Of The Human Race, begins with eerie ambiance followed by a groovy bass riff and steady drum beat followed closely by riveting guitars before bursting into an aura of blast beats and bellowing vocals. The song even contains a wicked guitar solo. A great first track with a haunting intro making it the perfect song to embrace the listener for what’s too come.
Somewhere In The Darkness begins with heavy guitar riffs and steady bass grooves followed by Chris Barnes with his Satan possessed cookie monster vocals. The song is also a very good track, but is probably lyrically the most repetitive track on the album.
Rest In Pieces begins with more speedy riffs and keeps up a very speed death sound throughout it’s auras of brutal vocals, blast beats, and screeching guitar solo.
Wormfood, begins with a riff that sounds like a simi-popular riff of the melodic death genre that has a very apocalyptic feel. The song is by no means Six Feet Under’s best song, but is not their worst track ever either, still contains good riffs and bass lines, the song gets really repetitive by the end. Probably the least impressing track on the album,
13, starts with a static intro followed by heavy riffs and whisper growl vocals, the song seems a tad out of place on the album. The next track,
Shadow Of The Reaper begins with some quick drum taps before rolling into more fast paced riffs that eventually lead into more brutal vocals from Chris Barnes. Musically, this is one of the best tracks on the album, although not vocally the catchiest.
Deathklaat, probably the best track on the album along with
Decomposition Of The Human Race, begins with heavy chugging riffs followed by some very catchy, deep mixed with high pitched growls that sound demonic in their own way. The song isn’t lyrically impressing, but is definitely the most catchiest track on the album.
The Poison Hand contains much more slower and steadier riffs, and has a very good track flow, and even has some of the most deepest growls I’ve ever heard from Chris Barnes. Though not as impressive as the last couple of tracks, the song holds strong and fits well with the album.
This Suicide is another classic rock guitar influenced slow paced track that talks about one of the most popular topics of death metal, duh! Suicide. The song is a lot like the last one, in which it doesn’t impress as much as the other tracks on the album, but flows well with the rest of the album.
Next is probably the most lyrically humorous track on the album,
The Art Of Headhunting. Chris Barnes does however do some impressive vocal work on the track, with his catchy high pitched growls screaming “Chop chop chop!” ever 30 seconds or so. Another personal favorite of the album. The track even contains another grisly guitar solo to piece it together. Finally,
Stump ends the album on a very fast and very heavy note. By far the heaviest track on the album, the song bursts immediately into screeching guitars, blast beats, and blistering vocals that roll their way into about 1 minute of the track before halting . the song then picks up again at a much slower paced, and slowly takes the end of the album home with a static outro. Not the most impressive ending of a short album, but still a very good track.
Pros
-- Great vocals (if you can stand extreme death metal).
-- Great musicianship by every member of the band.
-- Very even flow and haunting atmospheres.
-- Great production
Cons
-- A lot of the tracks sound too much alike.
-- The lyrics are a turnoff.
Track Listing
1. Decomposition Of The Human Race (5/5)
2. Somewhere In The Darkness (4.5/5)
3. Rest In Pieces (4/5)
4. Wormfood (3.5/5)
5. 13 (3/5)
6. Shadow Of The Reaper (4/5)
7. Deathklaat (5/5)
8. The Poison Hand (4.5/5)
9. This Suicide (4/5)
10. The Art Of Headhunting (4.5/5)
11. Stump (4/5)
