From These Ruins
According to their bio, when From These Ruins formed in 2011, one thing was certain – they had a message and they wanted it to be heard. Influenced by the likes as RED, Demon Hunter and Bullet For My Valentine, this is a band that are out there pushing their hard rock/nu-metal style and hooking the world onto their sound., playing over 100 shows per year and pushing to achieve their goal of world domination! We figured that the least we could do would be to help them out and see whether we could push the name a little further, so we checked out their album Brotherhood to see what we thought of things!
Please note - the order of tracks reviewed below does not necessarily represent the order of the tracks on the record, but instead the order in which they downloaded.
Opening things for us with 2 Faced things get off to a distorted and sludgy start, immediately kicking off with a hammering backing riff combined with a soaring lead line, the whole mix sounding heavy from the off but still allowing you time to get into it. The influences are easy to spot from the off, yet there’s more to these guys than just another nu-metal act, they’re more advanced and technical than that. The slow riffs give a sludge metal edge whilst the raucous vocal lines add in a sense of the new world of metal, not nu-metal but metal which is based on the old school but with an updated feel to it. This is a theme which runs into Biblicon, opening slower before launching into a pumping riff combined with more of those roaring vocal lines, it’s a mix which works. There’s something about this track which sounds familiar and it’s hard to place, almost like a hybrid of Maiden combined with Pantera, Bullet for my Valentine, and an extra little snippet of uniqueness. The rawness of the music gives the track its heavy edge yet the varied vocals adds a sense of technical ability, the whole thing forming into a sound which is heavy, raw, powerful and yet easy to listen to, something few bands achieve.
Title track Brotherhood comes up next for us, slowing things down to a far gentler style and suggesting at a far more emotional edge to come. This slower approach is something which sets this track apart from the previous two, standing it out as one which shows off the bands style and ability to form tracks which contrast sounds within sounds. Refusing to sit still or move slow for long, we’re soon thrust back into the raucous mix, this time adopting an almost Mushroomhead style feel to things and adding in a more upbeat edge, the sort of thing which is sure to get crowds moving from the off when played live. Crush The Devil continues this groove orientated approach, once again forming a sound which is sure to get some pits moving when it’s performed. There’s something familiar about the sound on offer once again here, it’s got that sense of metal from the early 2000’s, yet with an updated approach which makes it sound fresh, new and exciting. I love the recording the guys have gone for here as well as it gives the tracks a raw edge, offering up a sound which isn’t over produced or something which isn’t the band, instead showing us what they are capable of throughout.
Last Request lines up as the penultimate track on the record, this time moving back towards the sludgy style track, slowing the riffs down and combining them with a gravelly and raw vocal line, the sort of voice that everyone wishes they had. Downright dirty from start to finish, this is my personal favourite track off of the record, there’s just something about it which screams single, the sort of thing which will make people take note and want to hear more, definitely a track to make sure you check out. Closing with Temptation the record closes much as it began, showing off the bands ability to hammer out fast paced guitar lines, roving bass rhythms and an overall sense of power and melody throughout their tracks. Fast paced and exciting from start to finish, this track closes the record in one respect, but opens the next one in another, leaving you with a serious taste for what you’ve heard and knowing that you want more.
From These Ruins were one of a selection of bands that we were sent through recently and one which I’ve really come to enjoy. Since getting the record I’ve listened to it a few times, and although it’s not the best produced or most intricate record ever, it holds something special which can’t be replicated, a sense of honesty and determination. The lack of production is in fact a good thing as you get to hear what the band sounds like, moving through the album and letting you know that if you were to get out to see them, this would be what you heard. Definitely a band I’ll be keeping an eye on and wanting to hear more of!
To find out more about From These Ruins, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls.
Please note - the order of tracks reviewed below does not necessarily represent the order of the tracks on the record, but instead the order in which they downloaded.
Opening things for us with 2 Faced things get off to a distorted and sludgy start, immediately kicking off with a hammering backing riff combined with a soaring lead line, the whole mix sounding heavy from the off but still allowing you time to get into it. The influences are easy to spot from the off, yet there’s more to these guys than just another nu-metal act, they’re more advanced and technical than that. The slow riffs give a sludge metal edge whilst the raucous vocal lines add in a sense of the new world of metal, not nu-metal but metal which is based on the old school but with an updated feel to it. This is a theme which runs into Biblicon, opening slower before launching into a pumping riff combined with more of those roaring vocal lines, it’s a mix which works. There’s something about this track which sounds familiar and it’s hard to place, almost like a hybrid of Maiden combined with Pantera, Bullet for my Valentine, and an extra little snippet of uniqueness. The rawness of the music gives the track its heavy edge yet the varied vocals adds a sense of technical ability, the whole thing forming into a sound which is heavy, raw, powerful and yet easy to listen to, something few bands achieve.
Title track Brotherhood comes up next for us, slowing things down to a far gentler style and suggesting at a far more emotional edge to come. This slower approach is something which sets this track apart from the previous two, standing it out as one which shows off the bands style and ability to form tracks which contrast sounds within sounds. Refusing to sit still or move slow for long, we’re soon thrust back into the raucous mix, this time adopting an almost Mushroomhead style feel to things and adding in a more upbeat edge, the sort of thing which is sure to get crowds moving from the off when played live. Crush The Devil continues this groove orientated approach, once again forming a sound which is sure to get some pits moving when it’s performed. There’s something familiar about the sound on offer once again here, it’s got that sense of metal from the early 2000’s, yet with an updated approach which makes it sound fresh, new and exciting. I love the recording the guys have gone for here as well as it gives the tracks a raw edge, offering up a sound which isn’t over produced or something which isn’t the band, instead showing us what they are capable of throughout.
Last Request lines up as the penultimate track on the record, this time moving back towards the sludgy style track, slowing the riffs down and combining them with a gravelly and raw vocal line, the sort of voice that everyone wishes they had. Downright dirty from start to finish, this is my personal favourite track off of the record, there’s just something about it which screams single, the sort of thing which will make people take note and want to hear more, definitely a track to make sure you check out. Closing with Temptation the record closes much as it began, showing off the bands ability to hammer out fast paced guitar lines, roving bass rhythms and an overall sense of power and melody throughout their tracks. Fast paced and exciting from start to finish, this track closes the record in one respect, but opens the next one in another, leaving you with a serious taste for what you’ve heard and knowing that you want more.
From These Ruins were one of a selection of bands that we were sent through recently and one which I’ve really come to enjoy. Since getting the record I’ve listened to it a few times, and although it’s not the best produced or most intricate record ever, it holds something special which can’t be replicated, a sense of honesty and determination. The lack of production is in fact a good thing as you get to hear what the band sounds like, moving through the album and letting you know that if you were to get out to see them, this would be what you heard. Definitely a band I’ll be keeping an eye on and wanting to hear more of!
To find out more about From These Ruins, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls.