Review Summary: Job for a Cowboy did a great job for their demo. These songs should be either re-mastered or re-recorded, because it does sound messy in some parts in all three songs due to the drums. Their creativity shows a lot of promise for being a young band. I give
This album is a demo, granted, but it is well written. The three songs have the same tone (C tuning) as Job for a Cowboy's first album, Doom. The only problem with this demo is that it sounds somewhat raw. But what first recording doesn't sound like that?
Drums
The most notable flaw in the whole demo is the bass drum. You can tell that the drumming, with the bass-runs muffled out and uneven, is definitely not as clean as the drum recording in Doom. The drummer plays like more of an amateur; it’s still metal- but just more single bass. This sounds much better in the demo simply because it sounds cleaner than when he does bass runs. The drumming is acceptable for the demo; it could've done better with more riding cymbals, and without the dirty bass runs. He also plays too much on the open hi-hat.
Single kicks on the bass drum can be heard, but once he starts going faster than 16th notes into sextuplets, they are so muffled out they can’t even be heard. This could’ve been a problem with the drummer not being clean, or cheap recording equipment.
The drummer did do a good job keeping time with the guitars, and put some nice triplets and keeping a steady rhythm. I also like his use of the snare. Despite the muffled bass, he has some cool rhythms throughout the whole album that fit great with the guitar parts.
Pros:
Nice sounding snare
Tasty rhythms
Cons:
Poor bass sound
Too much open hi-hat.
Guitar
The guitar parts written for the demo are full of flavor. They were also well played. Most of the parts are simple- you could play them yourself after you heard them once or twice- but they are original. Much of the guitar parts are hard to hear though, because of the drumming.
The only notable flaw is in the beginning of “What We Once Called Home” and the beginning of “Day in Black”. The flaw is that the opening licks sound practically the same. The listener would at first think he or she was listening to the same song again, only because both the licks are the same notes on the same string. Believe it or not, this is the only thing about the Guitar parts I don’t like.
All the parts are likable, and they are well played. The guitar parts are great for a beginning metal guitar player to listen to also, because they could provide a basis for many other licks.
Pros:
Awesome licks
Defined distortion
Cons:
Repetition in the beginning of the last two tracks
Bass
The bass player only has a few seconds of glory on the demo, where he plays alone in “Day of Black” 1:57 - 2:00. The sound is ballsy and distorted, and should’ve been used much more.
Other than that, the bassist plays simple notes that go along with the guitars. Anyone could’ve done it – So nothing special at all. No props for the band for not making him brighter in the sound. He’s just in the back quietly playing along.
Pros:
None
Cons:
Not enough parts that stand out
Vocals
The vocalist hasn't yet come out of his cocoon in the demo, but he still sounds great. He also doesn't do any of his pig squealing screams like he does in Doom, which I find refreshing.
I will also note that it is impossible to understand what he is saying. I don’t care though; I like the musicality well enough. His screams vary throughout the whole of the demo, and don’t get old.
Pros:
Good screamer
Cons:
Can’t understand what he’s saying
Overall, Job for a Cowboy did a great job for their demo. These songs should be either re-mastered or re-recorded, because it does sound messy in some parts in all three songs due to the drums. Their creativity shows a lot of promise for being a young band. I give it a 3.5 entirely because of the creativity. This is a demo, so anything more than a 3.5 that would be unethical.
