Job For A Cowboy – Moon Healer
Job For A Cowboy – Moon Healer
Metal Blade
Release Date: 23/02/2024
Running Time: 39:08
Review by Rory Bentley
9/10
Since shedding the dumb label of ‘that Mypace Deathcore band’ once and for all with the rapturously received “Sun Eater” a decade ago, it’s been all quiet in the ‘Cowboy camp… until now!
You’re probably bored of hearing me say that Death Metal is in a new Golden Age by now, but it doesn’t make it any less true. The bar has been raised by the likes of Tomb Mold, Horrendous and Blood Incantation, so any release that comes out in this current climate needs to be the mutts nuts to gain any traction. Thankfully the decade-long wait was entirely worth it and JFAC have arguably released their finest work to date.
Far from the pig squeals and staccato beatdowns of old “Moon Healer” serves up 40 minutes of mind-bending, psychedelic, Progressive Death Metal that will appeal far more to fans of Death and Cynic than meatheads in tank tops that look like me. The lead work is jazzy and incredibly technical throughout and Nick Schendzielos’ bubbling virtuosic bass work is a sound to behold from the moment it rips through the intro of ‘Beyond The Chemical Doorway’ like a swarm of bees that have been injected with soul of Miles Davies.
Time and time again the band manage the staggering feat of turning intricate, jarring riff work that would be at home on an Imperial Triumphant record into catchy grooves that hold the song together. ‘Etched In Oblivion’ does this magnificently, like Between The Buried and Me being fronted by Chuck Schuldiner. It is quite the accomplishment and the band’s ear for melody and strong lead guitar lines wrangles the otherwise chaotic freak outs of the likes of ‘Into the Crystalline Crypts’ into cohesive compositions that keep the album’s momentum going even at the music’s most labyrinthine moments.
The Post-Metal tinged ‘A Sorrow-Filled Moon’ provides the perfect pace change before the album’s concluding epic. The guitars are sparse and crushing, the drums fathomless in their depth and the melodies utterly hypnotic. It is hard to envisage the board short-sporting kids from the noughties being able to pull something like this off.
As for the aforementioned epic closer, ‘The Forever Rot’ truly does save the best till last. Building patiently and purposefully it unfolds with a measured sense of grandeur that is only slightly tempered by the lingering inevitability that you’re about to get your head kicked in one last time. Which you are, because when this thing picks up the pace it’s shred city right up to the finish line. You will be exhausted, you will be broken but you’ll also probably want to push play all over again straight away.
“Moon Healer” is the kind of album that fans of Extreme Metal can hold up proudly when the musical validity of the genre is questioned. It is masterfully played, conceptually dense and immaculately composed. If there’s a better Death Metal record released this year we’re in for a real treat!
TRACKLISTING:
01. Beyond The Chemical Doorway
02. Etched in Oblivion
03. Grinding Wheels of Ophanim
04. The Sun Gave Me Ashes So I Sought Out the Moon
05. Into the Crystalline Crypts
06. A Sorrow-Filled Moon
07. The Agony Seeping Storm
08. The Forever Rot
LINE-UP:
Jonny Davy – vocals
Al Glassman – guitar
Tony Sannicandro – lead guitar
Nick Schendzielos – bass
Navene Koperweis – drums
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rory Bentley and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
