Rotten to the Core.
Sun Eater is the fourth album from former deathcore poster boys Job for a Cowboy. I say former because the trappings of the 'core sound have largely fallen away on this album replaced by a prog infused, technical and more obviously death metal sound. The Arizonian four piece have built a tough, brutal record with an immaculate production that mingles the layers of guitars against a widespread drum sound with vocalist Jonny Davy's up front growl taking a more guttural approach than on past albums.
Across nine tracks Job for a Cowboy are all about the precise attack, Sun Eater lacks the blunt trauma, gore and sense of humour of others in the death metal scene aiming for clean blows that achieve the same outcome. Throughout Nick Schendzielos's circular bass shapes plot a route over and around the more brutish and jagged guitar of Al Glassmann and Tony Sannicandro as well as Davy's vocal contributions. Schendzielo's playing here is reminiscent of Steve Di Giorgio's contributions on Death's classic Individual Thought Patterns. On Sun Eater they have started to transcend the previously, staunchly held negative opinions cast on the band with a move towards modern death metal.
The record emerges amid washes of guitar and the aforementioned lively bass before settling in to a mid-tempo crunch with Davy mixing the growls with rasps as Eating the Visions of God fades out with shades of post-metal into the less than immediate sounds of single Sun of Nihilty - quite a brave opening sequencing despite the quickening pace of the latter. The Stone Cross is the first blast of focused heaviness with some frantic drumming and sweep picked lead guitar. Similarly, The Stone Cross and Encircled by Mirrors are focused on the rhythmic chug and instrumental chops of Sannicandro.
All that said, the songs could do with some of the filth or personality as they often chose good taste rather than individuality. Songs such as Eating the Visions of God add textural variety with almost post-metal touches but these often seem like better ideas in theory than in practice but it's hard to be critical of a band trying something different especially when it works like on Buried Moments when they oscillate from all out aggression to more haunting atmospheres and the collapse into darkness on closer Worming Nightfall.
This record then, with its cover seeming to take a rear view of Dio's iconic Holy Diver, aims high and shows obvious progression from their past releases. Whether that will be enough to change the opinions of an infamously stubborn scene remains to be seem. What is clear, however, is that the band have made a step change in their music and Sun Eater demands a listen.