Job For A Cowboy – Ruination
So it’s been a whirlwind ride for the Arizona metal machine JOB FOR A COWBOY for the past 2 years. With a name as such you wouldn’t conjure up sounds as devastating as they produce, but yet maybe more of a softer, more sublte emopop act. Yet one listen to their DOOM EP or perhaps GENESIS and that association will disappear within 2 seconds. Being one of the most dominant bands in their genre early in their career on MYSPACE has led them to garner critical and fan acclaim worldwide. But now it’s mid 2009 and they are going to drop RUINATION upon us with the recording debut of drummer Jon Rice.
And judging by the subtle, 2-second drum flourish to start the first song, “Unfurling A Darkened Gospel,” you will come to know the name Jon Rice as being a top percussion practicioner as his abilities are without a doubt going to bring his name into drummer conversations over the years to come as I would expect his name to be dropped with the upper echelon of Lombardo, Barker, and Sandoval for their genre. His playing is the highlight of this release as he switches between blast beats, actually feels the grooves in the verses of “Summon The Hounds,” and can lay back in the pocket in the title track which closes the album. Those who were lucky enough to see JFAC late last year on tour were able to hear “Constitutional Masturbation” while on tour which showcases the dynamics that JFAC are capable of producing which is when they are truly at their best. As with any band, it’s great to be able to blast ahead at breakneck speed, but knowing when to pull it back, find the hole, and fill it with something tasteful is when a band truly learns the art of songwriting and the young lads of JFAC have learned this at an early age.
“Regurgitated Disinformation” is a track which guitarists Bobby Thompson and Al Glassman shine with their precision picking, memorable riffs that are interspersed with fast melody picking breaking up what could possibly become boring yet their phrasings, and octave-style approach to layering the song helps save them from being another forgotten band in a genre that seems to pump out band after band these days. “March To Global Enslavement” and “Lords Of Chaos” while still heavy as hell, manage to produce moments of dark melody with slower tempos but yet are quickly pushed ahead with more furies of fast drumming that is placed in the right places to accentuate the song and build structures. While purists may still argue that JFAC are not a “real death metal band” it truly doesn’t matter. What matters is that these youngsters have managed to capture energy, tight musicianship, and an ability to write songs that ebb and flow to keep themselves interested and nothing sounds contrived or fake as the purists may think. Watch for JFAC to jump up another level in their genre over the next year.
RATING: 9/10
LABEL: Metal Blade
WEBSITE: www.jfacmetal.com
By Mark Thompson
(+20 rating, 4 votes)
this is indeed a good album
Dark melody? Please, don’t flatter them. I thought this album was a pretty big misstep for JFAC, really took the tempo (and thereby the music) to a ridiculous speed.
whats wrong with them wanting to play faster jackass, and its not ridiculous ive heard faster, you’re an idiot
Anything above a 2 is too high for this band
jfac rocks who ever dosent like em suck a chone