Review by Nathan on March 18, 2024.

Ten years to let the prog-death angle marinate was exactly what Job For A Cowboy needed to make the masterpiece everyone wished Sun Eater was. Perhaps the band just needed to take a break from the Big Boy Tour Circuit and breathe for a bit, maybe the more expansive, multifaceted approach is something that should be handled by more "mature" individuals, but whatever it was, it was the recipe they needed to write their best album yet. Though a groundbreaking band that enjoyed an overwhelming, rapid explosion in popularity in the MySpace era for basically single-handedly creating deathcore, you always got the sense that even by their first full-length album the band wanted to move away from the very sound they helped get huge.

Sun Eater was the moment they finally took the bold step into the music they wanted to create for themselves, but it came with a fair share of flaws - the guitars were too muffled, the vocals were way too loud (a recurring problem throughout their early career) and overall it felt like though the potential was there, it just didn't quite hit the mark. Moon Healer takes all of those qualities and goes "yep, we get it, here's the album you were looking for". It almost feels like a long con to get more people to buy into the prog approach.

The bass lines were still nasty on that one, and here they're even better. Navene Koperweis is hands down the best drummer JFAC has ever had - not to say the previous guys weren't skilled, but something about the way Koperweis plays just fits, especially with the more progressive leanings of their later direction. Instead of songs trying and bunch of things and going nowhere, he supplements them with tasteful fills and just the right amount of off-beat snare placement and speedy blastwork that underscore all of the ideas the way they were meant to. This guy is making a name for himself, and adds to an impressive resume that includes Entheos and Animosity. Each song is full with tasty little moments and a more even balance between the instruments - and lo and behold, Jonny Davy is actually mixed well and not dominating the fuck out of everything! They always mixed him like a deathcore vocalist - which, I mean, fair, he has an immediately recognizable voice and set the template for the mix of low growls and accent highs that most modern vocalists in the style employ, but now that he's actually a little bit more sifted in, everything can flow and breathe so much better - and Alan Glassman actually gets some time to be showcased, after years of being perennially underrated.

In summation, this is hands down Job For A Cowboy's best album and after years of somehow being simultaneously overrated and underrated, they've finally come into their own and are getting the proper recognition they deserve - not for accidentally inventing deathcore, but by establishing themselves as one of the finest veteran death metal bands making the rounds.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Luka on January 20, 2003.

Trying to stand out in the swarm of death metal acts today can be a grueling task but for Canada's underground heroes Kataklysm the competition is just another reason to push their musical expertise to new levels. This album had me hooked from the very beginning and delivered just the kind of brutal pummeling I'd expect from such seasoned veterans. This is an ugly, modern incarnation of death metal. Not being a huge fan of the style in general, my very narrow list of favorable bands has nevertheless grown.

The first thing that grabbed my attention about "Shadows and Dust" was the superb production and mixing job. The instruments come together in the right way to carry a strong groove and create that "destructive" feeling, while at the same time allowing reasonable clarity for the tight guitar-work and precise drumming. The complex arrangements are more accessible with a clear sound quality that lets through a fair amount of secluded guitar harmony. Modern sound technology seems to be finally catching up with the complexity of death metal as you can appreciate multiple instrument layers whilst ear-ravaging blastbeats pound like they're going to crack your skull in two; it's absolutely great!

Another noticeable and crucial strength of "Shadows and Dust" is the arrangement. The majority of death metal bands have the gift of being able to put you to sleep with their down-tuned, grumbling, confusing music and dull arrangements, but Kataklysm’s songs rumble with energy and life. New riffs and verses catch you off guard and the arrangement is laden with unseen surprises, proving that good arrangements are the key to good death metal. This is one of the least boring death metal albums I've heard in a while! We need more of this. Horns up!

Bottom Line: Kataklysm clearly stand among death metal's wide elite circle. ”Shadows and Dust” is a very solid release.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 5.5
Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8.5
Production: 9.5
Overall: 7.5

Rating: 7.8 out of 10