There was a time when a band would write, then record and release an album, usually followed by a tour. If successful the cycle would repeat and so on, slowly and methodically building a fan base, reputation and status in their chosen genre. Not any more, the digital age saw to that, bringing us instant 24 hour access. Take Job For A Cowboy as the example in hand, the buzz around the underground was that the Arizona five piece were the next big thing before a CD had even sold. The bands place amongst the genres elite had all but been assured from the mass hype that surrounded the bands ahead of their debut release.

Such was the expectation when their debut album ‘Genesis’ did finally get it’s release a great deal of what was excellent about the album was lost in the noise of the gnashing of teeth by the Death Metal purists. The endless chewing over of the most minuet details sort of lost the point the band were trying to make, and so divided those into lovers of verses the haters of Job For A Cowboy. So when the bands follow-up ‘Ruination’ loomed large on the horizon you could hear the collective sharpening of pitch forks ready for another witch hunt.

I’m sorry to say however the doomsayers will have to wait for another day to pick the proverbial bones out of this release, as ‘Ruination’ is a quite stunning album from start to finish. That’s not to say there aren’t areas to pick at but as regards dismissing the band as a media fuelled flash in the pan….hold the phone you couldn’t be further from the mark! These guys have taken what they learnt from the ‘Genesis’ experience and while not radically changing their sound have built on their winning formula and looked to step up their game.

The continual touring and introduction of Al Glassman has given the band a cohesiveness and familiarity that somehow wasn’t there before, while still maintaining the sheer raw power they delivered in spades first time around. Adopting a more traditional Death Metal slant to proceedings Jonny Davy makes for an impressive vocalist in anyone’s world, with his grunts, growls and screams ensuring blistering of the ear drums is assured. If there is a criticism of the record it is that the band again tries to cram just too much into each song, with no song over four minutes and the album coming in at forty or so minutes, you do feel in some cases less could have been more. But hey, this is still an album of some considerable merit from a band whose stock just continues to rise, so while not for the faint hearted ‘Ruination’ should be top of the list of any Death Metal fan……purist or otherwise.