Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Job for a Cowboy - Doom (2005)

Before gradually evolving into a progressive tech-death band, Job for a Cowboy released a deathcore classic that was an early result of the subgenre's popularity. Any fan of deathcore can recognize their EP Doom as a brutal masterpiece!

As much as the other band members perform well in the EP, the heavy complex drumming by Elliot Sellers really stands out side-by-side with the guitars. Different variations of blasts and kicks can be heard, and like snowflakes, one is never the same as the other, which is what makes the drumming so unique. That and the use of cymbals, all of which give deathcore some rare literal kicks.

The intro "Catharsis for the Buried" starts the release eerily as someone is getting buried alive and screams "GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!" Then comes my favorite track here, "Entombment of a Machine", with some riffing and breakdowns I really enjoy, including that final devastating one at the end. The song also has rare audibility in bass and common usage of horror imagery in the lyrics. "Relinquished" is also interesting with the intro riffing and the song's brief usage of lo-fi and funk-ish beats in the drumming. "Knee Deep" you might already know from that Spongebob "Band Geeks" meme video. I just love its opening riffing!

"The Rising Tide" has some breakdown riffing throwing back to earlier tracks, but it's still killer, especially in another brutal closing breakdown. The growls and screams of Jonathan Davy fit so well with the lyrics. Starting off with a bit of melodeath is "Suspended by the Throat" before more of the heavy darkness. You don't wanna miss out on the re-release bonus track "Entities". Recorded a year after the original EP, you can hear some riffs hinting at the band's later tech-death sound, as well as a rare guitar solo.

Doom is filled with awesome pulverizing deathcore. Fans of the genre should definitely get it and listen to it as many times as they please. I'm glad to discovering this true gem and I look forward to hearing their later tech-death. Only the strongest and most loyal to deathcore can survive!

Favorites: "Entombment of a Machine", "Knee Deep", "The Rising Tide", "Entities"