Job For A Cowboy have never been a “one-note” band, constantly evolving their sound as a reflection of the maturation and expanding musical taste of band members. Their infamous 2005 EP, Doom, served as a cornerstone of early deathcore, yet they traded their roots for death metal in follow up album Genesis. But have since surpassed their boundaries into more modern, technical and progressive death metal throughout their back catalogue.
Fast forward to 2023, almost 9 years of silence from the iconic lineup have passed since their landmark record, Sun Eater, and hopes of a return have started to dwindle. That is until the release of bludgeoning and volatile first single, ‘The Agony Seeping Storm’, and announcement of follow-up album, Moon Healer, signals the re-emergence of Job For A Cowboy. Despite their resounding transformations in earlier work, Moon Healer doesn’t push their sound to new dizzying realms or reminisce on their much earlier albums but instead builds upon the foundations set in Sun Eater creating a multifaceted progressive death metal album akin to the likes of Cynic and Atheist. Although this direction may not be favourable amongst bread-and-butter listeners who prefer their death metal to sound like a tractor engine, their resurgence unleashed rapture amongst fans who jumped on the cowboy wagon at any time in their history.
Opening track, ‘Beyond the Chemical Doorway’, continues the amalgamation of skull-crushing heaviness and meticulous guitar work Sun Eater left behind, just with greater refinement and introduces the underlying concept of Gnosticism and transcendent exploration that resonates throughout the album. Following track ‘Etched into Oblivion’ and later ‘Sorrow-filled Moon’ offer a slower, meandering pace enriched with haunting melodies that harmonise perfectly with vocalist Jonny Davy’s menacing screams and signature roars. The impeccable grooves from Nick Schendzielos in ‘Etched into Oblivion’ and ‘Grinding Wheels of Ophanim’ solidify that the bass on this record is in a league of its own, effortlessly slithering through complex guitar licks, and melding perfectly with new drummer, Navene Koperweis’, hammering chops and blast beats.
‘Into the Crystalline’ and ‘The Agony Seeping Storm’ are not so entrenched in technical melodies paying homage to Job For A Cowboy’s heavier, more brutal sound. Yet these tracks, and indeed the other 6, carefully carry their own uniqueness, preventing the album from meshing into indistinguishable widdles. Despite being played to death by fans before the release of the record, ‘The Forever Rot’ sounds different in the context of the album’s final moments, signing off with one prolonged note. This conclusion provides one last glimpse of the band’s tight cohesion as the instruments and vocals comfortably weave in amongst each other, nothing pining for attention or slipping out of place.
The vast evolutions of this band along with assistance of trusted producer, Jason Suecof adds finesse to this album, sanding off any rough edges. Initially, it’s not an album you get straight away and isn’t necessarily easy on the ears, but that doesn’t matter at all, as this is an album made for exploration and the more you listen the more magnificent it gets. We may not even be through the second month of 2024, but Moon Healer places itself as a strong contender for AOTY.