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SIX FEET UNDER
Torment

Metal Blade (2017)
Rating: 5.5/10

I have to be honest here. I’ve listened to this record several times and it still takes me four tracks in before I can connect with it, but after that I’m fine. ‘Sacrificial Kill’, ‘Exploratory Homicide’ and ‘The Seperation Of Flesh From Bone’ lack that trademark groove and breakdown-grind that I dug with earlier Six Feet Under releases.

This band has seen a lot of personnel changes over the years, but in the end it’s always going to fall back on frontman Chris Barnes, good or bad. The question is, can this record stand up against previous Six Feet Under releases and stand the test of time? That’s a tough one to call, and it could go either way.

‘Sacrificial Kill’ starts out the record but feels choppy and minimal, not enough meat on the bone to really sink your teeth into. ‘Exploratory Homicide’ is next, but it’s a bit too reminiscent of early Deicide for my own personal tastes, and it’s also hard to get past that same choppy, minimal-esque, deathcore type sound I touched on with the opener. That also comes through loud and unfortunately clear on ‘The Seperation Of Flesh From Bone’.

But the record comes alive with track four, ‘Schizomaniac’. Barnes’ vocals still sound forced in parts, but the song works. And the same sentiment holds true for ‘Skeletons’; what I dig about this tune is the fact that it has remnants of that groove, breakdown, grind beat I mentioned earlier. That’s what drew me into earlier songs like ‘Lycanthropy’, from their 1995 debut disc Haunted, and much of the follow-up Warpath (1997) as well. A perfect example of this on Torment is ‘Slaughtered As They Slept’, which has that Haunted-type feel I’m missing with the first three songs.

I think what might be plaguing Six Feet Under, Chris Barnes in particular, is that revolving line-up of musicians that’s been an issue with this band since its inception in 1993. Different players mean different styles, nuances, techniques, and as hard as any one musician might try to channel that classic Six Feet Under sound, their personal style will eventually show through. Chemistry is everything.

The other problem might be coming up with fresh, original song ideas. Barnes seems to trot out the usual “serial killer, death and dismemberment, necrophilist” song themes every record, or, every other record, and getting a fresh take on song ideas that have been recorded before, either with Six Feet Under or other death metal band, must be tough. Although I appreciate Barnes’ insight and lyrical take on said themes, maybe it’s time to move onto something else.

Torment is not my favourite Six Feet Under record, but not my worst either. It does have some inspired moments, namely ‘Slaughtered As They Slept’. If you’re a Six Feet Under fan you’ll probably appreciate it a lot more than I did. If not, I’d wait till this one ends up in the bargain bin and take a chance on it.

Theron Moore