For Six Feet Under's second and final album with Allen West on guitar, the group fulfilled its potential, merging Chris Barnes' Godzilla-like growl with West's lumbering, snail-paced riffs. Though Cannibal Corpse fans may still long for a more uptempo set of guitar riffs, West's work really defines this album, making it an interesting variation of his other band, Obituary. Of course, the simplicity of the riffs and their slow pace may just as well inspire criticism as it does celebration, given the fact that most death metal bands pride themselves on velocity. As expected, Barnes puts in a dominating performance here, making this arguably the group's best 1990s album, depending on whether you prefer West's guitar playing or that of his successor, ex-Massacre guitarist Steve Swanson, as featured on the band's other celebrated 1990s album, Maximum Violence. ~ Jason Birchmeier
