Job for a Cowboy

Job for a Cowboy sounds like a good name for a country band, but this Glendale combo is in the vanguard of today's extreme metal movement. The intense grindcore/death metal sound of Doom, their indie EP, and their relentless touring has generated a rabid following — 6 million MySpace plays and close to 200,000 friends — without label support. On Genesis, its full-length debut, the band delivers a thick, corrosive sound massive enough to flatten a small city. Drawing on disquieting Old Testament images of devils and demons, these 10 apocalyptic tales are only a few steps removed from the grim reality of today's headlines. Vocalist Jonny Davy has a fearsome growl that's so aggressive he makes Lemmy Kilmister sound like Sinatra. The double-guitar attack of Ravi Bhadriraju and Bobby Thompson is powerful, and the pile-driver rhythms of bass man Brent Riggs and drummer John Rice are intense enough to turn sweat to steam. When they slow things down on minisuites like "Blasphemy" and "Upheaval," they reveal the dark symphonic heart that makes their music so unique.