SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JESUS PIECE – …SO UNKNOWN

Jesus Piece
…So Unknown
Century Media

Over the past 10 years, the landscape of metalcore has mutated into various forms, with a penchant for the melody/breakdown routine of the post-hardcore movement. Philadelphia’s Jesus Piece has instead favored the more intense, aggressive, and metallic inclinations that originally fused metal and hardcore, taking it to unprecedented levels in their previous recordings and live performances. Their second LP, …So Unknown, their debut with Century Media, levels the streets of what we knew could be done with the genre, turning the predictable into war-torn chaos.

The LP clocks in at just under 30 minutes, a fact that may seem unconventional to open with but is actually integral to how this body of work functions. In that span of time, there are so many levels to experience; from pummeling intensity in “FTBS”, groove-laden destruction in “Stolen Life”, and bellows of fury and vitriol abound, courtesy of vocalist Aaron Heard. There is little time to breathe on …So Unknown, as the opener, “In Constraints,” begins immediately with Heard’s harsh delivery that a second later is holding up the crushing weight of the instrumentation, every chord and every beat hitting with enough strength to break bone. But pure aggression alone wouldn’t make for anything faintly interesting, so the quintet expands the album with grandiose breakdowns, flesh crawling grooves, and an intent to never stop pushing.

As far as metal records go this year, encompassing all sub genres, …So Unknown is going to be in several End Of The Year lists for fans. The type of energy that this LP passes on through listeners, on solely an auditory level, is just one step shy of being in the middle of a standing room pit where the blood and sweat mix before it ever hits the floor. That is a feat that many groups aspire to, but Jesus Piece has just shown the world exactly how it is supposed to be done.

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