Jesus Piece’s “Tunnel Vision” kicks off with an atonal riff straight out of the black metal playbook before settling into a pile-driving double-kick section and then into a half-speed wrecking ball. The single, which frontman Aaron Heard says is inspired by “the renewed drive for success that comes along with being a new parent,” is the latest preview into their forthcoming new album, ...So Unknown. Listen to the track below.
Jesus Piece gallantly broke onto the scene, turning heads for their feral live shows and grandiose, melodic songwriting which has since cemented them as standard stirrers and boundary-breakers. On …So Unknown, their Century Media debut, listeners ascend to the apex of metal and hardcore– where a mix of complex instrumentation is led by a manic, shaman-like vocal delivery from frontman Aaron Heard. It’s a cluster bomb of ten anthems, bursting at the seams with memorable riffs and pulsing with fresh ideas. Drummer Luis Aponte (LU2K) promises, “This is as close to a Jesus Piece experience as you’re going to get without standing in front of us.”
Jesus Piece has created an effort that never fails to impress, gets to the point and never gets in its own way. And much like their frantic live show, their patented mid-tempo sound is only a jumping off point to chaos- ably utilizing half-speed breakdowns, left-turns into riffage at breakneck speed and moody ambient atmosphere effectively.
Heard uses a livewire vocal delivery, ala Busta Rhymes, to orchestrate the crowd’s kinetic energy - pushing further toward utter mayhem and culminating in a show that stands tall among their genre peers and live music writ large. Jesus Piece is a live phenomenon, only possibly held back by a heretofore limited recorded output. Their time has come with So Unknown, the new and second Jesus Piece LP, the follow-up to their white-hot Only Self. Co-produced and mixed by Randy LeBouef (Every Time I Die, Orthodox) and clocking in at a lean and mean 28 minutes, So Unknown documents the lives of the bands’ five members as they step into life’s abyss and react to the changes.
Jesus Piece is composed of vocalist Aaron Heard, guitarists David Updike and John Distefano, bassist Anthony Marinaro and drummer Luis Aponte. Formed in Philadelphia in 2015, the band released a trio of EPs (the S/T EP, 3 Song Tape and the Malice at the Palace split) before delivering their massive 2018 debut LP for Southern Lord Records, Only Self. The release stood head and shoulders over much of the hardcore and metal crowd, with a diversity that can be credited to the unique approach and chemistry between the members. Hell, even their name bypasses typical hardcore naming conventions and instead originates from a piece of jewelry loved by the hip hop crowd.
…So Unknown sees its release April 14 on Century Media. Pre-order / pre-save here.
…So Unknown tracklisting:
"In Constraints"
"Fear Of Failure"
"Tunnel Vision"
"FTBS"
"Silver Lining"
"Gates Of Horn"
"Profane"
"An Offering To The Night" (Official Music Video)
"Stolen Life"
"The Bond"
"Tunnel Vision":
"Gates Of Horn" video:
"An Offering To The Night" video:
(Photo - Kayla Menze)
