Customer Reviews

Warpath

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Foreword

If you're reading this you probably know what SFU sounds like. For those who don't- it's groove based DM with growling courtesy of ex Cannibal Corpse frontman Chris Barnes. I've been a fan since 2001 upon picking up their fourth album which released that year- True Carnage.

As SFU albums go TC was a good one, but as much of a Barnes fan I am, I can't help but feel disappointed by the last couple of SFU albums. To be honest they have sucked. The music has been plodding, monotonous & boring while Barnes' growl is not what it once was. In fact, it's not often these days he is able to turn in a reasonable performance in the studio. Notable exceptions to this include SFU's unintentionally amusing Graveyard Classics cover albums and Torture Killer's second album 'Swarm' for which he provided vocals.

After deleting the last few SFU albums from my ipod I decided to go back and listen to their second album- Warpath. A disc I had always previously avoided based on the memory of some negative reviews.
To my surprise, I thought it was quite good.

Review

This was the final SFU album to feature original guitarist (formerly of Obituary) Alan West. It was on Obituary's early 90's albums West helped pioneer the groove metal sound that later characterized SFU.

After hearing the first few tracks of Warpath it becomes apparent this album is unlike most others from the band, as not every song is a story of death and dismemberment. On Warpath the lyrical subject matter is much more varied. In the tracks 'War is Coming', 'Nonexistance' & 'A Journey into Darkness' there is no mention of graphic gore but instead the lyrics speak of impending doom, paranoia and a desire for change. Reading the words or even listening to these tracks they sound as if they could be cover versions of songs by 1980's hardcore bands. This is a good thing. The variation in subject matter is quite refreshing, it seems Barnes' has found his voice on this release, at least lyrically if not vocally.

Vocally Barnes' is trying to do something different. Often growls trail off into an attempt at clean vocals. Problem is it does not work. I can however still appreciate what he was shooting for- an original approach. I think he would have been better off keeping the clean vocals and growls separate.

Some of the middle tracks drag on and feel like filler material inc Barnes' love letter to marijuana- `4:20'. No doubt an important song to Barnes, but the music on offer behind the message is decidedly lacking. Towards the end of the album the music picks up again as `Revenge of the Zombie' & `As I Die' offer the same satisfying crunch as the opening numbers. The final track `Caged And Disgraced' is built around a slow Sabbath type riff while the lyrics deal with the judicial system imprisoning persons for `victimless' crimes. One can only assume this is another pro drugs song. As a non drugs user, I can't say I share Barnes' sympathies.

In short- there is nothing particularly new or amazing on offer here, but there's enough of an interesting mix of lyrical subject matter coupled with heavy and catchy songs to warrant a listen. Some DM fans criticized early SFU albums as being derivatives of Obituary and Cannibal Corpse.. If however like me you cannot stand John Tardy's vocals but loved Obituary's riffs, early SFU is the way to go.
Warpath rocks and is a solid release.

7/10 or 4/5 stars

Yeah, it's not as agressive as their other releases but definately worth checking out, it was my first cd that I got from the and I still love it!!

This Six Feet under release is certainly an odd little number. It's an album that takes not being listened to for nigh on a year to unlock it's charm. At first it sounds repetitive to the point of being boring and, subsequently, it was banished to the bottom of my pile but upon further listening it just seems to come together and make sense. This is NOT death metal. The album has a slow, stoner rock groove to it which is characterised best, and most obviously, by the song "4:20". The riffs are simplistic, the drumming is unspectacular and the vocals are your standard death metal thoroughfare, but you know what? It works. It creates a very laid back feel to the album, which makes it a pleasure to just sit back and listen to. True, several riffs are lifted straight from Obituary, but one can only assume that Allen West's self-plagiarisng was part of a paradoxical effort to enhance the lazy mood of this album. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but good nonetheless.

This is my 1st SFU CD and I can't stop listening to it. It's made me wanting more(I even picked up a couple Cannibal Corpse to get my Barnes fix) I highly recommend this album, check out songs War Is Comming, Nonexistence, Death Or Glory, Burning Blood, 4:20, and Revenge Of The Zombie. I can't see how people label this album as boring..almost any album sounds boring after the first listen, but it's a really great feeling when albums like this one "grow" on you after a few listens. Warpath has quickly become one of my Death Metal favorites.

I bought this CD just when it came out. Must be two years ago or so, when I listened to metal and to nothing else. Now I have grown older and wiser and listen to other music as well but it happened that in the morning of new year's eve someone put that record in the stereo (hadn't listened to it for a year or so) and turned the volume to a splendid level and I realized just how this album rules. I would even say it is the best Death Metal album I that ever penetrated my ears. The vocals are absolutely excellent, the guitars are simple but groove like hell and the lyrics are even better than those of Cannibal Corpse. And by the way, there is nothing satanic about them at all. It's just splatter, blood and gore. This record rock'n'roll and nothing else.

Warpath. From the first song, I get the idea that this CD will lead me into a warpath involving gory chaos and bloody bodies flung carelessly left and right, mutilated and degraded in every possible way. Unfortunately, the warpath seems more like a campaign, and that campaign to legalize marijuana.

Well, it's not that bad, I suppose. I just wish Barnes would leave the pot obssession in his personal life and interviews rather than throwing it into death metal songs. I want gore. Not a dreadlocked death metal legend telling me how great weed is and how bad it is that it's not legal.

I really like War is Coming, Nonexistence, Burning Blood, and Revenge of the Zombie on this CD. The rest is just there. Some of it tolerable, some of it not so tolerable. Some of the songs sound an awful lot alike, and I was sad, because this isn't the first Six Feet Under CD I listened to(listened to a lot of Maximum Violence, some of Haunted, bought True Carnage and Bringer of Blood before hearing anything off this but Warpath)and I was disappointed that the songs didn't seem to have as much of a distinct difference between them as I had grown accostumed to from Six Feet Under. They don't sound EXACTLY alike, don't get me wrong. They're just somewhat similar. Which is somewhat boring.

If you're a 6FU fan, definitely get it. If you don't know about it, go ahead and still get it, because it's worth it for the songs that are good, and the ones that aren't great don't rape your ears with badness or anything.

Of course, listen to the clips first to see if you like their style as a lot of death metal elitists don't like it.

Ok this is the first six feet under cd I ever heard and I liked it when I first heard it so I got it... It was still good but after I got Haunted, Maximum Violence, and True Carnage and went back to this one somehow it lost what was good about it.... If you are EXTREMELY NEW to death metal just try out the cd if you like it get it and expand off it If you dont then try some other bands

these guys are great. chris barnes is in my mind no doubt bout it the greatest death metal vocalist there is. the song 4:20 is great. not like most death metal songs in that there is a unique blend of vocal styles in it other songs. war is coming,nonexistance,and animal instinct are eardrum ripping heavy that good get this or miss out on one the greatest death metal bands ever. this is by far the greatest death metal band round and are a awesome force to be reckoned with ..six feet under rocks...once one hears six feet under they will be hooked. also if ya like six feet under you will like cannibal corpse and visa versa. i am highly recommending this cd to all if you don't already have it get out the wallet and buy today..thanks

Six Feet Under's "Warpath" is the weakest of the SFU releases, but it is still worth a couple of listens. The first thing you will notice is the album is more laid back and it grooves, more like newer Entombed albums. It seems that Barnes was trying to create more a "Stoner" Death Metal album, and most of this album falls a bit short, as its just not the same without the harsh lyrics and bone crunching riffs. There are a few noteworthy songs here though, and considering the price of the album (3 bucks used) its worth it. I highly dont reccomend starting here though, I would add this last to your SFU collection. Its not a total disaster, average at best, but at least it didnt go in the direction Metallica went with Load and Re-Load. ENJOY

I am just getting into the extreme metal such as Morbid Angel, Deicide, Eyehategod, and yes, the best of all, SIX FEET UNDER. Of all of SFU's albums, this one is a head bobbing, heavy, groovy album ala southern metal and the mighty Black Sabbath. If you are a fan of heavy music and are new to SFU, do yourself a favor and pick this up!