Six Feet Under
Commandment

THE REVIEW

I do not agree with some statements by critics and certain listeners about Six Feet Under, particularly those accusing them of writing simple songs that are repetitive over time (if not within the same album).

My disagreement arises from the fact that such theories are not applied to other bands or other sound forms and, above all, it is not taken into due consideration that Chris Barnes' band (here also in the role of producer, while the mixer was handled by Erik Rutan, former Morbid Angel and now with Hate Eternal) has an absolutely unique style and carries it forward with consistency, without introducing too many variations, but also without merely photocopying each previous album. Additionally, the choice, partly evident in the early releases but then increasingly clear, was to apply the theories of the most monolithic hard rock to a death metal never excessively fast and filled with groove (also in its fundamentally raw nature), as well as based on a continuous string of outrageously "brutal" riffs. The result is a style that combines the violence of the frontal impact with a certain perverse catchiness, best expressed when they venture into slower territories (not that they could be cataloged as death doom, but the general coordinates might be similar). Furthermore, one cannot dispute that each track is capable of developing a significant power, to the point that the most appropriate definition for "Commandment" could be "suffocating death."

At its core, there is an individual choice: those who adore what Six Feet Under (Obituary, Bolt Thrower, or other similar bands) have accomplished will have no trouble falling in love with this work, while the detractors, or those who have "grown tired," will probably continue to support their theses. Nevertheless, having to provide a neutral assessment, we can safely say that "Commandment" is solid, ruthless, and devastating, and, in its own way, captivating.