Metalcatto
Six Feet Under is back, and honestly, I’m terrified. Not because of how ruthless the material could be, but because in case you don’t know, the band has become a meme in our community regarding all the things you shouldn’t do as an old Death Metal band. So is Next to Die going to torture me out of this job? Is it going to be the most painful experience I have this year? You can see that my expectations are at least realistic.
Honestly, people, Next to Die left me rather speechless. And no, it’s not about any breathtaking quality or return to the good old days. It’s not that the album feels like every Six Feet Under album ever—that would just be average Death Metal behavior. It’s that it sounds like every stereotype you’ve imagined about the style. The riffs? You’ve heard them all before. The drums? Yeah, they blast something. The bass is supposed to be somewhere; I’m still looking for it. Now, to be fair, the production lets us enjoy with perfect clarity the blandness of these riffs. Sadly, everything is audible.
You might have noticed there was nothing about the vocals in the previous paragraph. Let’s put it this way: I think the band is a great way to explain to your friend who thinks this is all just screaming into a plastic bag that you actually require talent and work to pull it off. If Metal burnout had a voice—one that just expressed how dead I am inside from attending another Zoom meeting—this is what it would sound like. As in, those growls have the dog in them, but that dog wants to be euthanized.
Help!
Yes, this is usually where I leave the band some “negative” feedback or things to work on, but let me be frank here. Next to Die shows a band that won’t change. It’s all too far gone. I’d like to tell you that this feels like inhaling whatever is in a baby diaper during a hot summer day, but in reality, the whole experience is more akin to eating a bowl of cereal with no sugar, no milk, no vanilla—just dry cereal and nothing else but your own self-loathing to enhance the experience.
Next to Die honors its title. In the sense that after this, you’ll be closer to the grave than before. Its crime is not being as awful as you might think; the real problem is oversaturation. It’s hard to find work where you’ve heard it all before so blatantly. Be prepared to get offended in all the wrong ways. As for yours truly, I feel like I need another shower to get rid of this stench. That’s it. See you tomorrow. Screw this.
Label: Metal Blade Records
Release date: 24 April, 2026
Website: https://sixfeetunder.bandcamp.com/music
Country: USA
Score: 1.5/5.0
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