Long awaited and kept silent, never expected and yet received. That’s how I see it in this case, and I assume many others may share my perspective. I believe there will also be many who were not waiting at all. This is somewhat characteristic of the band’s history, where opinions on the band often strongly differed. This is not surprising, considering the band’s previous releases. Starting as a pure deathcore group and slowly drifting towards technical death metal, finally reaching the extremely progressive latest release of the band. And that last achievement is already a decade old. And here is the new album that has finally appeared on the scene. We’re talking about the new one from Job for a Cowboy called Moon Healer, released through their go-to label Metal Blade. A fitting title after their previous album was named Sun Eater. The two albums are therefore textually connected.
I am curious about what the search for a suitable sound or identity has yielded for the band and whether it can bring the gap between “love it or hate it” a bit closer. If it still exists after such a long hiatus. It has become clear to me that there are many opinions about the band and each of its releases. Ask anyone, and I suspect everyone will make a different choice for their favorite album. Of course, that is always the case, but Job for a Cowboy seems to work a bit more polarizingly than other bands. For example, I loved Demonocracy, and I wasn’t completely blown away by Sun Eater. Others see the debut EP Doom as the album that put deathcore on the map as a serious music style and, therefore, the band’s best product. I try to stay away from the pointless debate (secretly taking a position) on whether deathcore has a right to exist.
But now, Moon Healer. Eight songs that span a length of just under 40 minutes. The opener Beyond the Chemical Doorway already gives a clear idea of the musical direction Job for a Cowboy has chosen. After an acoustic start with some sound samples, the song starts at a slow but busy pace with various riffs, bass lines, and rolling drums, supported by a deep growl. Midway through, the intensity increases, leading to a beautiful solo section. The song is characterized by technically advanced play, where the bass gets a lot of freedom to showcase its virtuosity. The second song generally starts faster and uses the same ingredients as mentioned in the first song. It also demonstrates that Job for a Cowboy has excelled in writing excellent songs. Despite a lot happening musically, the band weaves enough structure and interesting passages and, mainly, enough resting points to untangle the eardrums. What I find particularly beautiful are the musical bridges that occasionally come across as melodramatic or with a high technical aspect. And that’s how all the songs go. Also, let’s not forget the phenomenal drumming of stand-in Navene Koperweis (Entheos, Fleshwrought), who expertly holds everything together.
Score:
90/100
Label:
Metal Blade Records, 2024
Tracklisting:
- Beyond the Chemical Doorway
- Etched in Oblivion
- Grinding Wheels of Ophanim
- The Sun Gave Me Ashes So I Sought Out the Moon
- Into the Crystalline Crypts
- A Sorrow-Filled Moon
- The Agony Seeping Storm
- The Forever Rot
Line-up:
- Jonny Davy – Vocals
- Al Glassman – Guitar
- Tony Sannicandro – Lead guitar
- Nick Schendzielos – Bass
- Navene Koperweis – Drums
Links: