Six Feet Under return with their fifteenth studio album since their debut, 1995’s Haunted, not counting their Graveyard Classics cover albums. Next To Die definitely marks a new creative high for them. I think it is probably their best album of the decade, having drifted musically from my interest somewhat of late. But this album has dragged my attention back with full force.
Six Feet Under – Next To Die
Release Date: 24 April 2026
Words: Jools Green
The twelve-track, forty-six-minute offering, explains guitarist Jack Owen, “Started out as an album full of Death Metal songs with speed and aggression. Then Chris had the brilliant idea to keep half of those Death Metal songs and add some groovier songs in the vein of the early Six Feet Under material.
“Chris emphasised tempo. So keeping with the beats per minute for early SFU classics, I wrote a side of tasty groove-laden music with Chris doing all the lyrics.”
I personally think deciding to do a mix of Death and Groove has been Chris’ best creative idea of recent years. There has been some minor criticism in the Metal community of some of the last few works, and I think he has taken this on board. As a result, it has enabled them to come up with an excellent album that suits his vocals, leaving the band and, invariably, the fans very happy with the final offering.
Opening with Approach Your Grave, and from the offset, it is as ominous as it is slow. I love the crawling suspense from this piece that builds as the guitar work progresses. Chris’ delivery is raw and unnerving.
Midway, there is a superb swathe of eerie leadwork that rises and builds before dropping back into the original crawling murk, but rising up one more time towards the close. A straightforward piece that makes a gripping listen.
Lyrically, I love Destroyed Remains for the honest life/death reality that it considers. Musically, it takes on a slightly faster Death Metal leaning with the drum work punching through the driving riffs. The riffing switches effortlessly between driving and chugging, the mid-point leadwork bursting through in short, sharp blasts. The vocals course with raw clarity across the piece, making a superbly catchy piece of Death Metal.
Regarding the next piece, Mister Blood And Guts, guitarist Owen spent a few days musing on the lyrics in his head. “When I was young, local TV stations always had a show where a creepy host would show campy cult movies and dress up and tell you tidbits about the film,” he said. “This continues today with a show hosted by the creepiest of hosts, Svengoolie.
“Mister Blood And Guts is about a film you might see on one of these shows, though in true Six Feet Under style it’s got a much more violent plot.”
Tempo-wise, it is a little faster again, with driving riffs that conjure mental imagery of being pursued by an assailant in the dark. Lyrically, it’s catchy as hell as well and delightfully gory. Think ’80s slasher movie, and you will be on the right path.
Moving on to Mutilated Corpse In The Woods, this “tells a tale ripped from the headlines about a victim whose brutal assailant tied her to a tree and slit her throat.” Again, it’s a deathly driver. Delivery-wise, it is quite linear but undulates subtly with evil intent, and the leadwork is eerie and sinister.
I do like Unmistakable Smell Of Death from a lyrical perspective. Without spoiling the overall plot, the killer underestimates their intended victims’ will to survive and ends up the victim instead, and who does not love a happy ending?
Musically, it drives, twists and turns with the ongoing conflict. The riffs ooze suspense, the drum rhythms pound and the overall musical phrasing is ominously suspenseful with an excellent swathe of haunting leadwork midway. Chris delivers some effective vocal protractions.
Lyrically, Wrath And Terror Takes Command could well be a subtly disguised anthem or observational statement of our times. Musically, it ebbs and builds in deathly waves, with the zenith being the searing second-half leadwork.
Skin Coffins is another lyrical beauty, bleak deathly poetry at its finest. There is definitely a dark philosophical edge too, plus musically there is a catchy groove rolling across its duration to add to the engagement of the piece.
Mind Hell is yet another piece with excellent lyrical content that will chill you as you contemplate it. A straightforward driver with hammering drum rhythms. On your coffin lid? Could be.
Another really great piece, Naked And Dismembered takes us back into the realms of serial killers. I love the frenzied atmosphere created by the spiralling, undulating riffs, pounding drum rhythms and pattern bursts. The lyrics are delivered with menacing clarity.
Delivering a classic Death Metal galloping drive, Grasped From Beyond is another terror-infused piece. It is a catchy, engaging listen with great first-half leadwork and a midpoint chilling drop. The repeating “Grasped from Beyond” that takes you to the close of the piece adds to the unnerving atmosphere, making it another attention-grabbing piece.
Penultimate offering Next To Die deep dives into a mutilated journey to death. Bolstered by pounding repeating rhythms and a sinister midpoint drop, out of which emerges a generous swathe of hugely expressive, eerie leadwork that builds and culminates in guitar squeals accompanied by the repeat of “Next to die” before ending with one final descriptive death-scape verse.
In many ways, the final piece Ill Wishes could be the best track of the album. It is lyrically powerful and reflectively philosophical. I love the mix of whispered and growled vocals as they add so much impact to the lyrical content and the overall sound. Musically, it is very powerfully reflective with a slow delivery, and the sudden stop at the end is dramatic and final.
One concluding point regarding the album, Chris urges close listening. “That’s the great thing about music and art and reading. It takes you on an exploration into your own imagination, and that personal experience lets you discover what you think the meaning is. Having someone tell you what it means takes away that magic.”
You can do that with this release because there is good clarity of content regarding the lyrical delivery. So, pin back your ears and prepare to listen carefully.
Six Feet Under release Next To Die on 24 April 2026, and it will be available as a CD, vinyl in a range of colours or digital download. Pre-orders are available from metalblade.com/sixfeetunder.
