Job For A Cowboy played at Wacken some years ago. I was passing the stage they were playing on the way to some other concert. This mate of mine said something to the extent of: 'This is pop death metal. Not good. Let's go!'. I wasn't actually to sure, but we were on the way to something that certainly demanded my attention, so I let it rest even if I'm usually not too keen on letting others judge for me. Anyway, I never really looked into what JFAC really is, perhaps influenced by my mate's remark.
Now, here I am with the new album from Job For A Cowboy, and I'm slowly regretting that I didn't listen to my own ears and curiousity rather than somebody else's opinion.
Yes, 'Demonocracy' is a comparatively modern take on what death metal can be, but that doesn't make it bad - in no way. The old-school element is there, however, it is layered with many other inspirational sources, and purists will probably not like when it smells of metalcore. It does that too. What I do hear first and foremost, though, is an inspiration that I can track back to latter-day Death and other technical death metal. And good old rock guitar! Just listen to the soloing in Tongueless and Bound! And how about Tarnished Gluttony? A slow monster with a not-so-typical death metal atmosphere, which I can best label as a death metal ballad! Cool.
What I hear is an ambitious band that wants to get somewhere musically and for the most part succeed. I hear a band who've been going on for almost ten years and still have a lot of fire and at the same time have the experience and tightness to control the technically complex painting that is 'Demonocracy'.
Fast, furious, tight and brutally heavy - killer album! Go get!
