Junior Bruce : "Endless Descent"

This band from Florida features former members of Bloodlet, who are my favorite band from the Victory Records Hardcore scene with Snapcase a close second. They frequently bring to mind what a heavier more pumped up version of Clutch might sound like.The bass on the opening track is as distorted as the guitar. The husky vocals are barked like a warden of a boot camp in Texas. Tempo aside there is  is way too much groove for these guys to be doom. The song ebbs down into a trippier section that reminds me a little more of "Children of the Grave", though there is a less apocalyptic undertones to the mood. You can hear a little of their more hard core roots in the attack that "Lion's Teeth" carries. Until it slows down at the two minute mark it almost feels too straight forward for me. The vocals become more sung and less shouted during this section.

Their is more of an "At the End of my Daze" like shuffle to the verses of "Thirteen Zeroes". It has a muscular rumble to it and relies on it's energy rather than being anything that we have not heard before. There is more of a surf rock re-verb to the guitars on "Of the Deep". They come at you like a bull with this song's weighty charge. The vocals are aggressive, but not growled. The vocals try to create more of melody at the song's half way point.  They gain even more momentum on " Of the Earth". The lyrics of this song refer to Satan, and might be the album's best so far.  The pace is brisk on "the Worthless Ones" with the drums driving things at a burly ramble. The guitar dance around the drums.

There is a darker and creepier tone to "Night Hag" . The songs are arranged in a very economic manner and rarely break the six minute mark. The more melodic break down at the three minute mark touches on sounds that they should venture further into.Once they lock onto a riff they generally don't like letting go of it. The fuzzy bass returns in a big way for "Lesser Key". The vocals here feel like they are working with the guitar rather than fighting against it. The album ends with the more deliberate title track. The vocals are not really the focal point and come across as if they are more obligatory. I'll be nice and round this album up to an 8. These guys have their own sound, even tough it is very familar.