After emerging from a severe New Year’s celebration-induced coma, I was (digitally) slapped in the face with the first title to review in 2012. I couldn’t’ve been happier once I found out it was Junior Bruce’s debut 12”, The Headless King. What better to cure my cosmic hangover than JB’s prescription-strength riffs and Dr. Angelacos’ mad prognoses? It’s like George Clinton said; “The bigger the headache, the bigger the pill.”

A pill this ain’t, though. No, Junior Bruce have never forced themselves down people’s throats. You’re more likely to find yourself pulled towards some unseen center in each song. This happens a lot live, where the crowd is likely to sway and headbang in near-perfect sync: perfect Hessian unison. Don’t trust my damaged recall though, it’s better just to hop right into the music.

The Headless King comes after a period of uncertainty for the JB crew. Several lineup changes occurred prior to their signing to A389 Records, and there was a span of time where we in Orlando wondered if we’d even see these guys perform live again. All that’s settled now, and an invigorated JB roars out of the gate on this slab, rocking faces and giving no quarter. Judging by the energy pressed into this wax, Junior Bruce got forged by fire and brought this banger back from the pit.

The highlights of the album come from the slow-burning “A Plague For Thieves,” opening with a hypnotic fuzz bass riff and bellowing proclamations, the surging “Churchburner,” and my personal favorite, “Book of Tyranny,” which branches out from a soul-burying sub bass deluge to the most triumphant arrangement on the entire album. JB is best when their music sounds like it’s conquering something, vocalist Scott Angelacos leading a sludge metal raid party on the sonic plane.

The best part about this album is that Junior Bruce has managed to capture their live sound very well, which is to say it’s furious and tends to command a listener’s attention. The band’s maiden voyage into sludge waters comes just in time for what should be a great year for metal. Definitely for anyone who needs a fresh injection of only the best in boulder-to-the-face riffage, fans of Spirit Caravan, High on Fire, and fellow Floridian sludgehammers Hollow Leg. Cop their album at the end of this month on A389 Records, and see them on their upcoming tour! (They’re cool guys, too, feel free to say hi…just don’t, like, start singing Dragula or anything.)

Check out a preview of the track Defeatist by clicking here.

Click here to check out Junior Bruce on Facebook.

- Chris Nunez