Cleveland’s Six Feet Deep were instrumental in the advent of “new school” hardcore that was emerging in the early- to mid-90s. They were one of the few Spirit-Filled Hardcore bands that didn’t end up on Tooth & Nail or Solid State (No Innocent Victim was the other major example).
After an independent demo cassette aptly titled Self in 1992, they released two fantastic metallic hardcore albums: 1994’s Struggle and 1996’s The Road Less Traveled. The debut issued on Christian indie stalwart R.E.X. Music and the sophomore on Flying Tart/R.E.X. Shortly thereafter they disbanded, with Myk Porter (vocals, guitar, bass) and Matt Traxler (guitarist and owner of Steadfast Records) forming the emo/post-hardcore outfit Brandtson (featured previously here).
In many ways the band’s sounds helped lay the foundation for metalcore later on. While they were firmly in the Victory Records-style of new school/chugga chugga hardcore, they also borrowed heavily from European groove metal, especially Wolverine Blues-era Entombed.
“Front” comes from the debut album, and as the title suggests, it opposes violent ideologies and the constant need for fighting. The song offers a transforming faith in Christ as an antidote to racially-motivated or ideologically-driven violence–a message that is still relevant 30 years later.
Since we wil probly neva get a reunion, how bout a propa remasta of both albums? I didnt think retroactiv did a very gud job wit em in 2005.