SIX FEET UNDER - USA

SIX FEET UNDER - 3 SONG TRUE CARNAGE ADVANCE CD - METAL BLADE
Admittedly I have never been a Six Feet Under fan. The three advance tracks will not change my mind either. The band's delivery has always simply been too 'lite-death' for me with the riffs in particular being strictly the same rehashed ones heard on every tiresome Obituary album since 1990. True Carnage sees some improvement though. Clearly the heaviest Six Feet Under record to date, True Carnage sees vocalist Barnes go back to the kind of low singing that won him much acclaim while in Cannibal Corpse. Additionally with the firing of one guitarist (picked up again by Metal Blade), the monotonous, heard-it-at-least-1000-times-before and recycled riffs seem to have been replaced by something, if not original, more thought out. It would have been better if Barnes in his infinite wisdom hadn't hired a rapper to appear on the album (sigh), but with the musical and vocal improvements this is two steps forward and only one step backward. Look additionally for an uncensored video on your full length CDs. - Ali "The Metallian"

SIX FEET UNDER - COMMANDMENT - METAL BLADE  
The knights at Metallian Towers know that Chris Barnes’ Six Feet Under has not been a favourite of mine by a long shot. The band’s repetitious and beyond basic approach has been a liability. Nevertheless, in the last several years Barnes and his band have gained a modicum of respect in my books given the man’s bold stance and astute socio-political outlook.
Be that as it may Commandment is the same old, same old. The band boasts that the songs were written in the studio and recorded on the spot. Six Feet Under might believe writing and recording an album in 12 days is a sign of spontaneous achievement, but as a listener the result is a sign of foolishness and underachievement. The songs come and go and barely make a dent. Barnes’ trademark growl is a tad cleaner, the leads non-existent and the rhythm section almost in sleepwalking mode. What makes Commandment tolerable is the fact that songs like Doomsday, Zombie Executioner, The Edge Of The Hatchet and Bled To Death are at least genuine death metal. One cannot imagine how much more generic a song can get, yet at least Six Feet Under is playing authentic death metal and not melodic rock passing as extreme music. - Anna Tergel

ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Chris, firstly, I did not find the album either too thrilling or innovative. How do you react to such an opinion? CHRIS: I am glad; it’s not supposed to be innovative. It’s supposed to be more 'back-to-the-roots' like a return to the early days of death metal. I don’t think it will affect the sales (adversely). I think everyone’s pretty excited about the music. It’s good music. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Knowing that most members of the band must have relatively busy schedules and be occupied with other projects, I wonder, when did you write and record the album? CHRIS: We worked within our schedules. We did what we could when we had time as a band. We went into the studio earlier this year in March and April. The songs were written within the last one and a half years. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: So how did this come about to begin with? When was the idea conceived and how was the line-up assembled? CHRIS: Allen came up with the songs and the tape and I listened to it. As soon as I heard it, I was into it and thought it was good stuff. I came up with a good lyrical view and put some good vocals to the music Allen wrote. Greg and Terry came into the picture when we started rehearsing and doing the album. Allen’s known them for a long while and has been practising with them here and there. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Being the previously unknown amongst you, I am curious about Greg Gall. Has he been in any bands previously? CHRIS: Greg Gall has been playing drums for a long time. He hasn’t been in any major bands, just local projects in Tampa. Yeah, he’s an unknown. As for any previous bands, you’d have to ask him. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Can you elaborate on how Six Feet Under got signed to Metal Blade Records, as opposed to say, Allen West’s label Roadrunner or even Terry Butler’s label, Earache? CHRIS: Well, basically it’s because Roadrunner has turned its back on metal and Metal Blade is very much into promoting new metal and very much into music. They are not just businessmen trying to create false music and promoting it. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Back to the actual album, which song is your favourite? CHRIS: All of them, really. I like all the songs on the record. We are all on the same wavelength and like the same songs. For the lyrics, I delved into my imagination once more and covered a broader spectrum of subjects. The Enemy Inside, for example, deals with a person who is at conflict with himself. Torn To The Bone is about certain personal feelings. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Can you, as my last question, tell us what your imminent future plans are and also update us on the latest with Cannibal Corpse? CHRIS: Six Feet Under will tour in the US and Canada during October. Then we are heading to Europe for most of November and December. As for Cannibal Corpse, we are finishing up our next album, which will be out early next year. The songs are really strong. Just wait and see.

ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Allen, firstly, I did not find the album either too thrilling or innovative. How do you react to such an opinion? ALLEN: Well, we always wanted to do death metal. I wanted it to be heavy, old-school, straight death metal. We’ve added a couple of samples, but none of us wanted to become industrial. If anything, I would like Six Feet Under to become heavier than Cannibal Corpse and Obituary. If we can do that. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Knowing that most members of the band must have relatively busy schedules and be occupied with other projects, I wonder, when did you write and record the album? ALLEN: Actually, when Obituary was not doing much between tours I was spending time with my four-track and drum machine. I wrote songs, kicked them right out. We were doing (Obituary’s) World Demise and I had these songs, but Obituary didn’t need them so I hooked up with Chris. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: So how did this come about to begin with? When was the idea conceived and how was the line-up assembled? ALLEN: I try not to think of Six Feet Under as a side-project. Obituary hasn’t been doing anything in nine months. So, this is my main band. Greg is a friend of mine. When I was thirteen, fourteen years old we used to jam in bands. He’s a kick-ass drummer, but he never made it. I was telling him about my side-project and how I was using a drum machine and he said, 'I can do better than that.' I went to school with Terry Butler and we used to hang out when I was in Massacre. Terry’s sister, Amy Butler, is married to Greg so Terry was there ready to jam. We didn’t go get Terry because he was in Death. That had nothing to do with it. He was the last one in the band. Amy was always telling Greg: 'Why don’t you ask my brother to play?' He is a good bass player who learnt the songs. Can’t say anything about that. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Being the previously unknown amongst you, I am curious about Greg Gall. Has he been in any bands previously? ALLEN: He was in a band previously called Cyanide, which had a Blitzkrieg Metal demo out. They opened for Nasty Savage. He was also in another, Fates Warning type band whose name I cannot remember. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Can you elaborate on how Six Feet Under got signed to Metal Blade Records, as opposed to say, your label Roadrunner or even Terry Butler’s label, Earache? ALLEN: Chris Barnes is signed exclusively to Metal Blade. In my contract, I have a clause stating that I can play in a side-project. Actually, before I talked to Chris Barnes I sent a tape to Monte Connor at Roadrunner saying I need some money to record and he never called me back. Basically, he blew me off. So, we were going to go with whoever takes us seriously. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Back to the actual album, which song is your favourite? ALLEN: Torn To The Bones is one of my favourites. It’s one of the most fun ones to play. Silent Violence is good, with the break and lead, which is different. My least favourite song is Tomorrow’s Victim because it’s a slower song and doesn’t sound good without two guitars. We are going to play all the songs live, plus a new one. Chris is talking about doing the songs in the same order as on the album. ALI “THE METALLIAN”: Can you, as my last question, tell us what your imminent future plans are and also update us on the latest with Obituary? ALLEN: Obituary is not finished. We have six new songs and we are going to complete eleven to twelve songs and go back into the studio. After World Demise’s tour, we came back and John’s been busying himself at his house. We didn’t split up. Trevor (guitars) and Donald (drums) and I are into it; John lacks a little bit (in dedication) and that upsets me and Trevor. John doesn’t want to our. He doesn’t like it. Frank doesn’t live in the same town.