Artist: Job For A Cowboy
Title: Ruination
Type: Album
Label: Metal Blade Records
I have spent a good deal of my time recently saying that JFAC are a decent band who for some reason seem to be wholly pigeonholed into the deathcore scene and whilst that may be where this bands music is aimed at commercially they certainly offer more than just the odd slam to keep young punters interested in the pit. Indeed ‘Unfurling A Darkened Gospel’ is closer to Hate Eternal such is the hyper technicality and rapid incessant time changes that are a dominant force on this album. The leads are also here aplenty and last longer than 5 seconds, but only just at times. As with all technical death metal it is difficult to know how long each riff or hook will last and this does not make it any easier despite the songs being slightly more accessible especially on ‘Constitutional Masturbation’ with its inimitable sense of vicious groove. ‘Regurgitated Disinformation’ continues the catchy attitude but with tons of riffs, albeit very familiar ones, that slap you silly from all directions, as do the alternating bark and shout vocal lines.
The slower more deliberate ‘March To Global Enslavement’ is monstrously heavy, in an Incantation sense, before the blast shatters the relative tranquillity. ‘Lords Of Chaos’ stands out for being a tad different with a super heavy yet sinister style riff initially. The pace picks up schizophrenically with a great beat on the bass kick similar to ‘Regurgitated Disinformation’. ‘Psychologically Immoral’ is fast, furious, frenetic and fierce (do you like my alliteration skills). The title track ends the album differently which I enjoyed tremendously as the mild drum work creates a slower atmosphere. The blast suddenly appears, then disappears as the slow pace re-emerges giving the song an old school death metal tone which once again reminded me of Incantation’s more sinister and eerie moments.
If you think JFAC are deathcore then think again and at least give this aural battering a try, as you will be pleased you did, even if you won’t admit it.
http://www.jfacmetal.com
http://www.myspace.com/jobforacowboy
Martin Harris
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