Six Feet Under: Unborn

    Approaching Unborn the new and tenth album from Tampa death metallers Six Feet Under there was a mix of expectations after hearing the songs making up the release were written around the same time as those on their more than decent previous album Undead of last year. Would they be tracks which were deemed not good enough or suitable for their previous album or could they stand alone with equal or superior results? It does not take too long to realise they certainly have the strength and quality to match those on the last album though equally they do not leap beyond it in standards or engagement either. It is basically a sister release to Undead, a sideways step or second part depending how you look at it which leaves one more than satisfied but devoid of any fired up passion towards it.

With a new line-up of guitarists Ola Englund and Steve Swanson, bassist Jeff Hughell, drummer Kevin Talley (Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Chimaira), and the distinctive corrosive tones of band founder Chris Barnes (ex-Cannibal Corpse), Six Feet Under return to the scene of ‘the crime’ satisfyingly created with Undead to give arguably a more vicious and visceral musical breath to the again Metal Blade Records released Unborn. The songs making up the album again are borne from when Barnes wrote with a group of guitarists/songwriters in Ben Savage (Whitechapel), Rob Arnold (ex-Chimaira) and Jari Laine (Torture Killer), a union which has brought rich rewards across both albums.

The album makes an initially gentle approach with inviting guitar caresses to open up Neuro Osmosis but is soon opening up its muscles and intent with dramatic grooves and caging rhythms whilst Barnes exploits every syllable of his delivery with a corruptive and intimidating abrasive primal growl. The song whips and scores the ear with accomplished and inventive sonic intimidation crafted into barbed lures which equally seduce and threaten. It is a pleasing start which captures the imagination ready for the following encounters starting with the prowling Prophecy. The track swaggers with spite and devious intent knowing its weaponry of sinewy riffs and hungry rhythms is a seduction hard to resist. The song does make the keenest persuasion and ticks all the boxes a musical appetite has but its failure to find anything unique to really excite slightly defuses its promising strengths a little.

It is a good start though and leaves one more than happy to delve deeper into the release with an immediate reward from the outstanding Zombie Blood Curse. The track stomps with confidence and magnetic unrelenting purpose, the guitars chugging with a greedy hunger and bass adding extra raptorial malevolence to the rampant endeavour. Mid-way the track slips into a sonic enticement which initially feels wrong but soon leaves an appealing flavour before the song returns to its carnally conceived romp. It is by far the best track on the album and a rival to the greatest moments on the previous album too.

The likes of Decapitate, the carnivorous Fragment with Barnes at his most venomous, and The Sinister Craving with crippling drum skills from Talley carving up the senses, all make their mark though without lighting any rages or fires inside. Despite that the album continues to satisfy and pull the listener into its firm grip squeezing with extra thrills through Alive to Kill You and Psychosis. The first of the two chews and exhausts the senses with a riotous and eager bloodlust honed by the vocals and sharp guitar scything across the ear whilst the second moulds and perverts emotions with fiery sonic teasing and imaginatively destructive guitar confrontation.

Unborn is certainly a strong and pleasing release which alongside the last album sees Six Feet Under finding a much more widely palatable and impressive presence with vital grooves and moments of inciting invention to those not already persuaded by the band. Whether it will convince all that the band is their new passion is unlikely but neither will the album leave any depth of displeasure in its wake.

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7/10

RingMaster 19/03/2013

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Dying Fetus: Reign Supreme

As technically intrusive and eagerly brutal as ever, death metal legends Dying Fetus return with their seventh album Reign Supreme to prove they are no spent force and still able to stand  in the frontline of the genre with ease. The album finds the band as uncompromising and vicious as ever with their technical side of their heart as concise and manipulative as the aggressive half is violent and destructive. It makes for an album which leaves only debris in its wake and enthused submission before its power.

Released June 19^th via Relapse Records, Reign Supreme actually raises questions whilst quite simply bringing the fullest satisfaction. The album is pure Dying Fetus the band offering what they excel at without venturing down particularly new roads, just adding a detour or two along the assault of the album. This makes it relatively unsurprising but still a feast of what they do best and what people have devotion for, thus a great bruising time and plenty of impressive sounds to be consumed by. Saying that though from the initial introduction to the album igniting gasps of instant pleasure the flowing few plays caused that reaction to evolve into a lull of fervour as certain aspects emerged. The arguable lack of anything we had not heard before and an overplay and repetition of certain things which wore a little thin, openly stuck out but as continued attention was given the tracks then shifted again and striking slithers of creativity and imagination leapt out to re-ignite that keen emotion again. Basically Reign Supreme managed to do that rare thing of bringing an indecisive overall view towards itself. For sure the album is excellent, few do this style of death metal better but should we expect more from the band? Then again they have brought more it just does not leap out which again makes one wonder if it was not enough. Countering that the album is a fully rewarding pleasure to share time with, and that is the main thing surely.

This is a Dying Fetus at the top of their delivery and rampaging aggression though and that always leads to a welcome merciless collision of great sounds for the senses. With a surging sonic fingering as its intro, opener Invert The Idols rampages with a malevolent storm of dehabilitating rhythms and predatory spiteful riffs. Stalking its prey with a threatening breath and menacing gait the track brews up a storm of bestial energy, its wanton sonic flares igniting the oppressive lumbering intensity pervading every pore. It is an outstanding opening to Reign Supreme and a track which invites and receives a constant companionship.

Next Subjected To A Beating enters to chew on the carcass left by the opening abuse of the senses. It is a persistent and again unrelenting surge of corruptive grooves flanked by merciless rhythms and bludgeoning riffs. The dual vocal attack is at its best with black bile dripping off every word and aural expression. Nearing its climax the track punctures the ear with a combination of a great devouring doom bass riff and sonic guitar conjurations which scale the synapses as forcibly as they do their notes. The blend works great but the mounting climb of ear scorching sonic bursts already begins to outweigh their quality with their frequent presence and this is only track two. The song though is a striking slab of muscle which again is easy to revisit.

As the album progresses the likes of the outstanding Second Skin with its insatiable thunderous persistence, the senses stripping From Womb To Waste, and the spiteful In The Trenches leave one impatient for more. The last of the three is a barrage of artillery precision and ferocious drum attacks supported by combative riffs and deep grooves to wake up the dead their lure so contagious. Lyrically the socio-political drive of the band has never been more confrontational and intense, and as we have come to expect their intent as invasive and striking as the sounds they lash out from. Every song punches low and hard, each an undeniable statement of directness and power.

The most grievous track on the album comes in the primitive Devout Atrocity, the lush pit borne bass spine a glorious expulsion of venom alongside riffs which flay the ear as harshly as the underlying groove scours the wounds. Ending on the rugged assault of The Blood Of Power, a track which closes the album with one final unbridled pummelling, Reign Supreme is an outstanding album and one of the biggest pleasures this year so far. The only question is could we have expected more from Dying Fetus upon it or are we just being extremely greedy?

RingMaster 17/06/2012

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Six Feet Under: Undead

To be honest the enthusiasm going into the new album from death metal giants Six Feet Under was not at an all time high. This is a band that has not really lit any personal fires or imagination since their emergence leading into the mid nineties most predominantly from the dislike of the style of vocalist and founder Chris Barnes, something the attention to his previous band Cannibal Corpse also suffered when he was fronting them. It is purely personal taste and without any reason, just an aversion to his vocals as simple as that. This has led to only fleeting acquaintances with their previous eight albums until now. It has to be said Undead again did not cause any mass jubilation or a breakout of unbridled passion with the initial contact relatively underwhelming. But it is a sneaky little beast and given the deserved time and multiple chances to state its case the album proves to be a bit of a slow and persistent burner. It still does not have flags flying but it is a feisty little piece of pleasure that proves its worth even with Barnes as distinct as ever.

Released via Metal Blade Records, Undead is the first release with new guitarist Rob Arnold (ex- Chimaira), who we are led to believe also contributed the bass parts too as new bassist Jeff Hughell joined after the recording. Alongside Arnold and Barnes the album also sees long time guitarist Steve Swanson and drummer Kevin Talley (Dying Fetus, Misery Index, and Chimaira), also new to the band. The album has been quoted by Barnes as “…a rejuvenation, it’s a rebirth of Six Feet Under, and fans will definitely latch on to my excitement and how focused I am in the lyrics I’ve written.” Whether it is down to the energy and creative input of the new members or not there is certainly a freshness and intensity to the release that had vacated some of the previous albums. Arguably originality is still not in full force but allowed the attention and time to express itself the album is certainly rewarding and at times rather impressive.

The opening bomb that is Frozen at the Moment of Death from a first feeling of this is good but… evolves into something additive and openly hypnotic. With a groove that churns up the senses into a tight knot and riffs beating it around the ear the track grows more essential and striking the more it meets the ear. As assumed the vocals stoke up the expected personal preference immediately though once realisation that he sounds just like the Judoon out of Dr Who emerged there was an extra sense of fun attached. As said Barnes is a strong if unvaried vocalist with many others far worse around and it is merely personal taste involved but saying that as the album progresses even a warmth to him emerges or is it submission.

The following Formaldehyde is a blistering assault upon the ears whilst 18 Days with its striking waspish persistent groove sends sparks through the senses. By this point Talley has left nothing but an immense impression upon the music and thoughts, he is a literal machine but with organic instinctive passion and invention. The guitars of Swanson and Arnold too impress as they bustle and cut through the ear with fine play and intensive sounds to ensure each track is intriguing and gratifying, whilst Barnes is Barnes, you always know what you get with his brutish guttural delivery.

Whether the band have worn down the defences or there is a sudden vein of something new the best two tracks on the album by far step up to challenge and inspire next. Firstly the Molest Dead collapses on the ear like a juggernaut of death and destruction, its sprawling fetid breath soaking every note with an atmosphere of dread and violation. This is immediately backed up by Blood On My Hands, a song from an initial predatory crawl which envelopes its host in a soak of spiteful malevolence completes the malefaction with a scorched melodic entrancement and groove which blisters every surface it consumes.

It has to be said by this point and entering into the last third of the album one is hooked especially when the obvious but irrepressible and irresistible Reckless rumbles across the ear. With the most wanton of grooves and an insatiable infection the track rummages through thoughts and darkened corners with eagerness.

     Undead is far from a classic but it is an album that in hindsight ignited a few more flares of passion than at first thought and the more times shared the hotter they become. Six Feet Under did arguably find a rejuvenating essence for the album and it turned out quite striking if not stunning.

RingMaster 24/05/2012

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Deadborn: Mayhem Maniac Machine

From the very first drum hit Mayhem Maniac Machine from German tech-death metalers Deadborn lights up the senses with formidable yet undemanding, insatiable and high quality destructive sounds. Consisting of nine muscular deliberately combative tracks the album is a deeply satisfying varied and abusive tower of steel.  Unrelenting with brutality and direct sonic manipulations Mayhem Maniac Machine hits every one of the senses with an unerring bullseye.

Formed in 2002, Deadborn released their first four-track EP Decades Of Decapitation two years later to be followed by their debut album Stigma Eternal in 2007. Both releases as well as tours with the likes of Graveworm, Disbelief, Hate Eternal, Cephalic Carnage, and Dying Fetus, and their own shows brought them an enthused attention and respected name within German metal and further afield. Now consisting of vocalist Mario Petrovic (ex-Necrophagist), lead guitarist Kevin Olasz (ex-Jack Slater), Jo Morath on rhythm guitar, and drummer Slavek Foltyn (ex-Necrophagist), Deadborn look set with their new album released via Apostasy Records on April 20^th to take an even bigger stake in the attention of the world.

Mayhem Maniac Machine is an unrelenting technical metallic dance across the senses, each and every track ripping away their safety to replace it with tense intrigue and intimidating intrusive grooves. There is no respite from the driving aggressive rhythms, crushing defiant riffs, and scorched blistering melodies that frequent each and every metallic soundscape on offer. The album to be honest does not open up new chambers of sound and directions but simply is a gloriously stimulating and exhilarating rampage to full within and be inspired by.

Though classed as death metal the album opens up many more doors of metal to add a extra flavour to their striding sounds. From the opening march of Premises Of Cryonics one feels ranks of varied metallic spices coming together to lead a mighty and unassailable sound. The track forges a deep bond between complete captivation and senses obliterating extreme metal to create a song as catchy and irresistible as it is disarming and venomous. As the rhythms of Foltyn hungrily and continuously machine gun the ear the guitars lead the rest of the body and thought through showers of flesh stripping riffs and burrowing razor sharp melodic intrusions.

The following Profanatic Reanimation takes a sideways step in sound to infiltrate the listener just as accurately and effectively as the opener. The groove and melodies fly with a raised temperature and acidic sound to ride the wave of heavy weight rhythms and intensity from bass, drums, and the excellent bestial growls of Petrovic. The vocalist offers an overall similar styled attack throughout the album but adds a coarse mesmeric edge that ensures it never grates or becomes dull and constrictive within the songs.

The album has a mass to it not only from the music and intensity but also within the production from Christoph Brandes. Together he and the band have given Mayhem Maniac Machine an intimidating thickness and imposing ominous atmosphere but still have brought and allowed clarity to the intricate exploitive grooves and the at times deranged rhythms. Songs like the combative declaration that is Slaves Of Megatron, the sonically piercing Reinvented Power Process, and Second Order Cybernetics a full fury of metal, all lay their bulk upon the ear whilst splintering into distinct and openly compulsive features.

The twin highlights on this impressive album, are Insane Motor Cortex and Replicants Device. The first is the best track on the release, an uncompromising stretching of the senses through cyber madness and tumultuous metal invention, every note like a destructive nanobot stripping the body of feeling and breath. The second of the two stands over the ear like a towering behemoth of hardened iron, its riffs dropping down like lead from on high whilst the melodies and insistent groove garrottes feelings and emotions. Both are majestic death/metal conjurations from a well of maniacal ingenuity and ferocious intentions.

    Mayhem Maniac Machine is a gem, an album that intrudes upon and makes use of every part of the body and in return rewards with sheer unadulterated metallic pleasure. It is hard, consuming and without mercy, and also as is Deadborn, the reason metal is so important to our souls

RingMaster 13/04/2012.

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