In recent months, there have been quite a few “sophomore” releases that have been exciting to look forward to. However, none have been as highly anticipated as Jesus Piece return in …So Unknown (Century Media) after their debut took the metallic hardcore world by storm five years ago. While the lyrical emotions of just being pissed off about past trauma is left on the previous album, Aaron Heard still brings a level of aggression and chaos, yet a level of positivity. Either way you slice it, this record really hits the marks for a sophomore effort which will excite fans.

‘In Constraints’ opens with an Aaron Heard growl and then the proverbial gas pedal is immediately pushed to the floor. The grooves are infectious and stick with you throughout the album while the breakdown at the end is a punctuation mark on what to expect for the rest of the ride.

 

For those that are in love with the aggression in Jesus Piece, ‘An Offering To The Night’ is sure to deliver some neck-breaking fun with lots of stop-go, machine gun-esque riffs and kick pedals. The sense of danger felt throughout this track is hair-raising to say the least and will certainly be a fun live experience should it make the setlist.

 

The closer, ‘The Bond’, starts off with an ominous guitar riff that spills into more heavy grooves before picking up the tempo and sprinkling the punk into the mix. The second half is the final punctuation mark to the thirty-odd minutes of chaos, aggression, and self-evaluation.

Five years is a long time for some, but when the world stops (and Aaron becoming a father, congrats!) and the future is …So Unknown, the wait is well worth it. Finding Jesus Piece shorty before quarantine, I was yearning for more of this special dose of metallic hardcore from the Philly group. After these five years, it is clear how the band has matured individually and as a group for the better, of which this record is a testament of.

 

The future still remains unknown, but a future with Jesus Piece in it brings a little more light into that darkness.

Buy the album here:

https://jesuspiece.lnk.to/SoUnknown

 

8 / 10

TIM LEDIN