CoC : Jaww - Southbound : Review

Jaww - _Southbound_
(Independent, 1997)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)

Helping fuel the intensity and harshness that Toronto's music scene is lacking (besides bands like Tchort or Solus) comes Jaww, an intense four-piece who's music style - similar to Cannibal Corpse meets Obituary (a bit more thrash metal based and noticeably more coherent) - seems to take on quite a powerful momentum on their debut album, _Southbound_. Produced by one of my favorite local Toronto producers, Rob Sanzo (Mundane, Tchort, Poledo), the 10-track release heaves at us powerful and brutally charged numbers like "Trampled Under Foot", "Free from Disease", and the cool-grooved grind of title track, "Southbound". Having only been around since 1995 and only having released a 4-song demo tape, _Demonstration_ (a time where they used a drum machine), I am quite impressed with the depth and work Jaww members put into the songwriting and song structures. Having Sanzo on board in the studio helped strengthen the sound, too. Metal bands like Jaww seem to be popping up all of a sudden and I'm beginning to have some hope that Toronto may be able to market a "metal scene" once again.

Contact: Jaww, c/o Doug McLarty

(article published 4/2/1997)