Honestly, I thought Pantera would be the only great band ever to come out of Texas. Amazingly, I was wrong.With the release of their third CD, Moments of Reckoning, the thrashin' metalcore band Jacknife unleashes an intense attempt to put their southern state back on the metal radar screen. This is a CD for those looking for a dedicated, intense, excellent & original sounding band. Their production pedigree is impressive, attracting people attached to bands such as Hatebreed, DEP& Blood Ties, among others. Their brand new record label, Sum Zero, which was started by semi blue bloods of metal, signed this band as their very first.
A casual listen to this CD reveals why these guys have created such a stir in the musical world & such rabid devotion by their fan base. This CD gives much value for your dollar, with 12 tracks, all featuring songs noteworthy due to their intense yet catchy, brutal yet savagely beautiful tunes. There are no clichés here lyrically, which adds to Jacknife charm & appeal. These guys are influenced by the greats of metal, yet none of their influences are ripped off & repackaged as their own. This is exactly the kind of music everyone should appreciate the most, as originality is much harder than taking a shortcut, and to end up still sounding incredible is a feat of merit.
A couple of the songs sounded a wee bit like each other, at least at first or this would be a 5 star review. Even tracks like that, however, get broken up into finished songs that overall stand on their own. This is a good, solid band with much to offer.
