Recorded way back in November of 2004 but not released until earlier this year by Lifeforce Records, "I Am Jim Jones" is the debut full-length from Cassius – another band from here in Richmond, VA that I wasn't familiar with, though I believe some of these guys were in a band called This Present Darkness in the late-90's that I saw live a few times back before I swore off going to shows. In which case they've come a long way, as this album displays a much improved brand of diverse yet cohesive contemporary metalcore that blends chugging midpaced breaks and grinding picking patterns with speedy bursts of chaotic dissonance and subtly abstract guitar textures; while most of the vocals are scathing shouts/screams, with the occasional appearance of some surprisingly guttural growls. In a way it sort of sounds like Zao meets Converge (sort of – that's just a loose reference point), but heavier and with a more in your face sense of density, which isn't but so surprising given the current climate of this niche of the "metalcore" realm, so there are definitely a few death metal-leaning accoutrements (very few of which resemble the melodic side of the whole Swedish boom). However, there are a few instrumental interludes throughout the album that explore a more experimental direction in terms of bringing in an array of loose electronic textures (be they harsher distorted sounds or more chilled out ambient tones) against clean guitars, heavily manipulated percussion, etc. – so there's definitely more to it than that. Certainly a promising debut: It's one of those things where you can't necessarily deem it "original", but you can tell that they're pushing for something a little left of center, and they break into some pretty fierce moments in the process. Not bad at all…

Cassius "Funeral March"
Cassius "Home"

As always, I encourage you to buy the album for yourself if you like what you hear:

@ Lifeforce Records
@ RevHQ
@ Very Distribution

It's somewhat of an odd reality that some of the better releases I've heard from the Metal Blade Records camp in recent years are from bands like Since the Flood that are more aligned with hardcore than metal, as "metallic" as some of their influences may be. "No Compromise", the band's first outing for said label, is actually much better than their decent yet ultimately flawed debut – taking their brand of relatively straightforward metallic hardcore and presenting it with a punchier recording (though there's still room for tweaking) that gives the basslines a nice, thudding presence and makes for a more pissed off, in your face, and powerful delivery overall. It's basically built around a core of Madball-esque NYHC groove given a more "contemporary" sounding Terror meets Hatebreed attack in terms of the ferocity of the vocals and the recording textures, not to mention the metal-based aesthetic of some of the riffing – little of which strays too far from the 90's form of "metalcore" that I personally adore, aside from a few scarce hints at subtle melody throughout the disc. So, yeah, expect few "frills": It's 12 tracks in about 32 minutes, with loads of fast-paced power chords and thrashy, chugging picking patterns scattered with pit-inducing breakdowns and viciously burly vocals that have definitely stepped things up a notch this time. I can't complain… this is pretty good stuff.

Since the Flood "Listen"
Since the Flood "At the End"

Downloading is cheesy. Pick it up if this is your thing:

@ Metal Blade Records
@ RevHQ