Dying Fetus / Job for A Cowboy

Outside Camden's Underworld, the rain is treacherous and seemingly never-ending. Sunday night makes for a brutal billing as Dying Fetus return to the UK, to show off their new album 'Reign Supreme'.

Arizona-based Job for a Cowboy are somewhat of a controversial band in the metal scene. They rose to prominence at the peak of the deathcore trend, naturally hated by the death metal faithful. Following the dissolving of deathcore in the commercial consciousness, the five-piece have suspiciously formed into a full death metal outfit, attempting to court metalhead favour.

Live at the Underworld, they certainly have their share of fans surging to the front to receive a figurative death metal punch to the face. The fans certainly enjoy it with small pits breaking surfacing but this brand of death metal delivers nothing remotely discerning, leaving larger portions of the audience ambivalent or retreating to the bar. Nonetheless, Job for a Cowboy try their best to deliver a lively performance for those watching.

"It's not my fault I'm pregnant and I love drugs. Who cares? Fuck the baby. Let it die," is the callous intro that sees Maryland brutal death metallers Dying Fetus launch into 'From Womb to Waste' off their new album 'Reign Supreme'. Instantly, a ferocious moshpit is ignited matching the violent intensity of the music on stage. The American trio may not have a particular stage presence, rooted to their microphones for shared vocal duties, but the visual spectacle emanates from the technical prowess of their most recent work, as fingers dance erratically up and down the fretboards.

'Reign Supreme' is a beast of a release, somewhat less brutal death metal than Dying Fetus' previous full-lengths but still armed to the teeth with crunchy slam death metal passages and even more technically ambitious than its predecessors. 'Subjected to a Beating', 'In the Trenches' and 'Invert the Idols' are the selections tossed to the carnal crowd, sounding just as fearsome and enraged live as on CD, ensuring a positive response from the sweltering masses. It is hard to believe such an aural storm is summoned with just a single guitarist, namely John Gallagher.

Providing a decent summary of their discography, Dying Fetus hammer out older songs including 'Skull Fucked', 'Procreate the Malformed', 'Schematics' and 'Your Treachery Will Die With You'. Hordes of crowdsurfers, moshers and headbangers appropriately fit the mood of the music, particularly slamming rhythms that are built up in such a way that they are to be expected and the audience salivates in anticipation of the slam to follow.

Throughout the duration of the set, the audience's crazed participation shows absolutely no sign of slowing down as stage invaders and circle pits steal the attention away from the death metallers on stage. 'Homicidal Retribution' closes the set but the band's prompt departure off stage essentially guarantees an encore. Fan favourites 'Pissing in the Mainstream' (with bassist/vocalist Sean Beasley rallying the audience to join him with a cry of "Fuck the mainstream!") and the ultra pissed off 'Kill Your Mother/Rape Your Dog' stomp holes in the venue, finalising the set spectacularly.

With another grisly London show under their belts, Dying Fetus have proven why they are the one of the most popular slam death metal band. Their ballsy guitar sound and infectious slams mark them ahead of the pack by a country mile and two decades later, they are still progressing. A return to London will definitely be appreciated and very well attended.

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