Review by Death8699 on December 17, 2018.

From previous listens to in terms of this band, they kind of bored me with nothing really special metal out there, but this release is so much more groove oriented than anything else. I think that they capitalized on that aspect of the music and really shot forth a great, solid album. I would still consider them to be way death metal oriented especially with Chris Barnes' vocal outputs. But the music really goes along with his vocals, I mean in unison with the way the guitar riff structures are portrayed. I liked this album much more than Death Rituals, that one just bored me to death. But here is an album that you really can get into.

Way underground still, just pounding out heavy down picked riff structures that are featured on every track of this 35+ minute album. You can really get into it and the music. It's heavy as all hell, but still the groove makes it more "alive" so to speak. Whereas with previous albums, I never really got much into. But this album is going to be one that I will hold onto. It's really slow paced as they've always been, with tempo changes and Barnes dominating in the vocal department. I tell you, this lineup is simply just awesome. The lead guitar is great and I really was interested in the music here.

Definitely a solid production with everything way mixed well and nothing is without a damn good praise. You can really slam dance or headbang to this one. The only objection is the length of the release. But be aware and hold on tight because Six Feet Under will crush your speakers and destroy your eardrums. The music is not overly complicated, it fits in well with Chris' voice and didn't make me sleep on this one. It is really a damn gem of a release. Something that they haven't really capitalized in years. They own death/groove metal and this album exonerates the emphasis on domination.

Again the length is the only reason why I didn't give this higher rating. But still, for me to even rate them higher than that would be too generous, despite their effort to blow you away with just thick guitar that simply destroys! I love this album, another one that you can put on and really get into. There's nothing really "off" about it. Of course Chris' vocals you can't understand or decipher what he's saying unless you read the lyric sheet. But that's just the way metal is, with a few exceptions. 

In the vein of other bands (newer) that I've heard that have a lot of groove related riffs, this one is more solid and the music more memorable. Unborn simply dominates in every aspect. Don't expect super fast riffing because it's just not there, despite maybe some segments that incorporate blast beating. Just not too much on here, the main focus I think was to mesh the vocals with the music. I was disappointed that reviewers didn't give this album a higher rating because that's what it really earned. Own it now!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Krys on March 14, 2013.

I'll start by admitting that Six Feet Under was never my cup of tea. Barnes and Co. could always entertain me for couple of spins but each time it was quickly getting dull and I was losing my interest. I guess new addition of swede guitarist Ola Englund was exactly what the doctor ordered. SFU had never sounded so badass and listenable and while this is not a masterpiece that line up has potential of doing something special.

The signs of improvement were visible on their previous alum "Undead" but this time riffs are way better with more layers, harmonies and are simply more enjoyable to the ear. Take the opener 'Neuro Osmosis' - it has acoustics, Insomnium like melancholic melodies contrasting Barnes rasps and some really heavy guitar chops to top it off. Thrashy, groove based 'Zombie Blood Curse', 'Incision' or 'Inferno' deliver simple but catchy as hell riffs with newfound leads and licks that showcase best guitar cooperation in SFU history. Sure they are still very simplistic but Englund\Swanson duo captures listener attention with more emphasis on melody and their style of phrasing make new tracks more powerful and heavy than anything in the past. Oh, and did I mention the best production yet? "Unborn" sounds brutal, aggressive and dynamic like good death metal album should.
There are still few tracks that remind me of old SFU that were too generic and didn't impress me much but even those sounded more polished this time around.

Six Feet Under is evolving and if I cared about Facebook I would honestly give them 'Like'. In mid-time just count me as a fan. I just hope this lineup stays for at least couple of years cause I believe the best is yet to come.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 10
Originality: 8
Overall: 8

Rating: 8.6 out of 10