Review Summary: Pick up the pieces and rebuild.
Six Feet Under has always been a divisive band. The quality of their output, which spans 18 full length albums over a 30 year period has fluctuated more than any other big name Death Metal act I can think of. With constant lineup changes, Chris Barnes' involvement in drama and Twitter feuds with other bands, SFU have always been distanced from their peers. You can't help but wonder if a more humble approach to the ego could have resulted in a more stable lineup and better music across their discography.
But, the past is the past, and there's a silver lining: Chris seems to have found a solid partner in the legendary Jack Owen, known for his work with Cannibal Corpse and Deicide. Owen's influence on "Killing For Revenge", in which he had been given full creative control in the songwriting process, has been a game-changer, marking a much-needed comeback for Death Metal's punching bag.
Unlike the humiliating "Nightmares of the Decomposed," which left me questioning if it was a serious output, or if Chris Barnes was playing an elaborate joke on the metal world, of which only he knew the punchline, "Killing for Revenge" showcases a significant improvement in composition, song structures, and vocal delivery. Barnes's vocals, reminiscent of a frustrated Cookie Monster on Nightmares, now pack a more aggressive, throaty punch, akin to a rabid feral dog. His reformed growls now compliment and help propel the aggresion of the album, rather than stand out akwardly as a joke. He honestly sounds great for a Death Metal vocalist nearing 60 years of age.
If you're a fan of Six Feet Under's 420-era, tracks like "Neanderthal" and "Hostility Against Mankind" will satisfy your craving for groove. However, the album predominantly delivers high-energy, blastbeat-driven tracks, with standouts like "Ascension," "Fit of Carnage," and "Judgement Day." Across all 13 songs, "Killing for Revenge" exudes an old-school death/thrash metal vibe, in its mucisianship and production, rarely letting up in its intensity and violence.
Six Feet Under are back in top form. It's easy to make jokes about this band, or Chris Barnes. But credit is due where it is deserved. They made a valiant effort and it shows. You could hold "Killing for Revenge" up alongside the newer albums of their contemporaries, and it will hold its weight, and amidst a discography of wildly varying quality, it stands among their best works. If this proves to be the band's swan song, then they're going out on a high note.
