Job For A Cowboy have had alot of hype surrounding them since they managed to land dates on Sounds Of The Underground 2006. And while it was almost a whole year between their first SOTU performances, and the release of their official debut album, it was well worth the wait.
As is to be expected with any metal release, and more so for debut albums from bands that have major hype, there were instant JFAC naysayers. But with the handful of negative comments, comes the flood of worthwhile praise. And 'Genesis' is an album that deserves every bit of positive praise it gets. Not since Morbid Angel's 'Domination' has there been an album this driven. Sure, there are plenty of bands out there that can play faster, more complex, or sound more "Brutal", but none of those factors alone make a great album. Job For A Cowboy maintain a supreme level of consistency throughout the entirety of 'Genesis', and they have all the elements necessary to make this album an instant modern death metal classic.
The guitar work of Ravi Bhadriraju and Bobby Thompson is technically precise. They come off sounding like Trey Azagthoth and Erik Rutan, and comparisons like that are never a bad thing. Most bass players hardly stand out, but Brent Riggs refuses to go unnoticed, shredding his bass like a younger version of Bassist extraordinaire Alex Webster, minus the long hair. And though Elliot Sellers is no longer a part of the band, his drumwork is flawless, and easily comparable to that of Pete Sandoval. As for Jonny Davy....vocally, he couldn't sound anymore like a young David Vincent if he tried. And though he has more range, and incorporates more high/low dual vocals ala Glen Benton, he's still ultimately closer to Vincent.
What makes 'Genesis' stand out from most other metal bands, death metal oriented or otherwise, is the maturity of Job For A Cowboy's songwriting. The level of musicianship from these guys matches and even surpasses that of bands that are much older (let's not get started on the Slayer syndrome of not learning to play any better after 25+ years in the business). On top of that, they're well aware of the fact that blasting away at breakneck speed for an entire album gets boring FAST, so unlike most of their extreme peers, JFAC throws in some of the meanest grooves ever, alongside some rather apocalyptic passages.
With 'Genesis', lyrically, the album as a whole is pretty much tied together with each track following a similar theme. Outside of that, each track is easily capable of standing on it's own, and that's critical in determining whether an album will stand the test of time or not. And whether you're a fan or not, there's no denying that Job For A Cowboy have put together one of the best DEATH METAL albums of the past ten years.
