Review by Alex Grindor on May 3, 2026.

Well, here we are again, lads. Six Feet Under's new record is upon us, and I am sure that some of you (like me) just shudder at the thought of a new release from this band. After the now infamous release of "Nightmare Of The Decomposed" (turning the band into a complete laughingstock) and the follow-up 4 years later, "Killing For Revenge",the band's reputation has been floored to no end. Mediocre musical quality executed by overqualified musicians, incessant repetition of riffs and vocal passages that turn boring, and, worst of all, the pitiful vocal performance by a man once regarded as a standard for the style, coupled with his now infamous penchant for animosity on his social media. All these factors have caused a decline in SFU's status, whether you accept it or not. Despite all of these factors, Six Feet Under (and Chris Barnes) still have quite a strong reputation and following, which brings us to "Next To Die", the band's new album released through Metal Blade Records.

By now, everyone should be familiar with SFU's formula: basic groovy riffs, down-paced drums, and growled vocals. It has been so for many years, and they still follow this creed. However, I would be lying if I said that this album is a complete aberration. To my surprise, the album is decent (not that much, but decent), yet still falls into the same problems SFU has had in their latest material. As soon as a section gets interesting, it is repeated to boredom. This is still a fatal flaw in the band, and (hopefully) they will fix this in the future. Pitruzzella's drumwork is tight and efficient, yet rarely leaves the band's comfort zone. There are some moments when he's all out, and it shows that this man can do a lot more than what he delivers here. Suhy and Owen's riffwork falls into the same category, unexceptional but competent enough. The issue here is that we know these men can deliver more, and have done so throughout their entire careers in the many bands they've played in, from Deicide to Cannabis Corpse. The bass has a notorious presence and weight, but it confines itself to follow the guitars almost in their entirety, with few moments where it chooses to go on its own.

Now, onto the vocals. Are they as horrendous as ever? Well, no. Mr. Barnes seems to have been taking care of his voice for the recording of this album. His performance is quite the step-up from the last 3 albums, and best of all, gone are the awful EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEs he used to do. Whether this was a choice by Barnes or was talked out of it by his bandmates, I hope that he abstains from such laughable vocals for the rest of his career.

Now, the production is many steps above the last album, with every instrument being perfectly audible. The material this time is a bit more engaging, though, with some interesting ideas and riffs thrown into the mix. But as stated earlier, it still feels pretty basic and uninspired, with many catchy moments being repeated ad nauseam. The biggest flaw, however, falls upon the vocals. Even though they are a marked improvement in relation to what was done in "Killing For Revenge", it still sounds weak at times, and it is noticeable that Barnes is doing his best efforts to keep up with the songs. Now, some tracks are actually enjoyable, like 'Unmistakable Stench Of Death' and 'Naked And Dismembered'. Not a revolution for the style, but among the best material the band has come up with in years. Some other stuff, like 'Mister Blood And Guts', is downright laughable and feels like something Sesame Street would have done with the Cookie Monster and his chain-smoking uncle. Out of all this material, I would like to single out 'Ill Wishes', perhaps the most "experimental" track the band has done in years. A more doom-infused track, its downpaced riffs and whispered clean vocals show a side of this band I have rarely seen, with brief clean guitars that lift the song's atmosphere. This was a welcome surprise and a great
way to bookend this album.

"Next To Die" sees Six Feet Under treading the same road, as always, but throws some new ideas in the midst. A shame that most of what is presented here is so basic and formulaic. And yes, once again, I know that SFU's style is meant to be as old-school as possible, but come on. We know they can do better. Better riffs, better drums, better basslines, and overall, better vocal performance. This album is a marked improvement, but it could have been so much more. Quite a few tracks scratch the itch, and the last track is quite good overall, but this band still leaves a lot to be desired.

Rating: 5 out of 10

Review by Jeger on March 22, 2026.

We all know, at least those of us who get it, that Barnes era Corpse IS Cannibal Corpse. The greatest era of DM, the greatest era of one of the genre's most revered outfits. Barnes didn't shine when it came to what he did with CC, and that was the beauty of it. It fit, it worked, it killed… And as we all know, Barnes' feelings were hurt by the guys before his untimely departure from the band, he left in a tiff and formed another band known as Six Feet Under. Kind of like the Death Metal edition of Metallica/Megadeth drama, only Chris is more of a dorky know-it-all type, as opposed to being a complete Narcissist like Mustaine. Anyway, SFU's debut LP, "Haunted", was well-received by enthusiasts and critics alike for its simplistic brutality. And their sophomore effort, "Warpath", is an equally accomplished feat; one that served as the catalyst to this band's decline...

It's not easy being a true Death Metal guy in a plastic DM world. It's hard to just be a guy with a set of cajoñes in this weak Demolition Man - San Angeles reality. Chris Barnes' heart has always been in the right place, more so than others', but when you're responsible for atrocities like SFU's, oh I don't know, past FOUR albums, your DM cred goes right in the toilet. Yes, we all want old-school Death Metal, but here's the hit, it has to be good! It ain't rocket science and guys like Kam Lee (Massacre) and Chris Reifert (Autopsy) get it. Well, on April 24, Six Feet Under will release "Next To Die" via Extreme Metal graveyard, Metal Blade.

This album fucking sucks… I'm not even through track one and I can tell what's in store: Barnes' tattered vocals, stock riffs, some sweet solos and a valiant effort at rehashing the glory of the good ole days… "Approach Your Grave" just feels off like a group of musicians who have all listened to one Death Metal song in their lives and have been asked to recreate what they heard… A disjointed, awkward as your first lay type of experience. I'm supposed to be disturbed by this? No one really gets disturbed by DM anymore, but this is boring… This is like if Death Metal was a drug and this is the comedown: a shallow, pale, apathetic feel to it. Sitting in your wife-beater, smoking a Montego while eating microwaved Spam on a rainy day vibes, but in the form of Death Metal. Even attempts at brutality like "Mister Blood And Guts" just come off as weak and uninspired. How many Death Metal songs can there possibly be about a "Mutilated Corpse In The Woods"? Well, here's another one and it sucks, too. I will say that this is the best one so far and the energy is picking up…

"Unmistakable Smell Of Death" is decent. I would compare it to something out of "Erase" era Goreguts, only flashier if you can believe that. The boys put their well-earned collective talents on display here, except for Barnes. With all due respect, I think he's had enough… I think we've got a banger here in "Wrath And Terror Takes Command"! Nicely executed, riff-infused DM. "Next To Die" is engineered to have that right-there-in-studio sound to it, and while that may serve the producer well, it hardly does much for the music. The clarity/intimacy of it saps away any kind of primitive vibe that the album could've had. "Next To Die" is a tonally flat record that just feels dull and soulless. There are some flashy moments here and there and you can tell that the boys put up a valiant effort but aren't these guys supposed to be well past that point? Shouldn't it simply be a matter of how good the album is going to be as opposed to being left to wonder if it's going to be another piece of shit?

Caveman brutality as "Mind Hell" unfolds to basic rhythms and choppy riffs. Once again, the tone is way off, Barnes vocals are like a dying Cookie Monster and it feels sloppy. How is it that veteran Death Metallers can't get it right? Is Barnes cursed? These guys can't all feel good about this, can they? I will say that "Next To Die" is among the top of SFU's past handful of releases, but that doesn't say much… Hang the Songwriter! Spill his guts onto the floor and write a better song about it than "Grasped From Beyond". It won't be difficult…

I was hoping for a surprise but I should've known better. If every track on the album could've been like the aforementioned "Wrath And Terror Takes Command" or the titular track, then we would've had a tolerable album. Time to bury Six Feet Under six feet under and be done with it. This makes five shit albums in a row! Don't let the little flashes fool you, "Next To Die" is garbage. I'd be ashamed to have my name attached to it…

Rating: 5 out of 10