For Ruin December
Sentinel Records GOK011 September 15, 2007
By Wayward_Son
What a surprise For Ruins debut, December, turned out to be. Seriously, this one seemingly came out of nowhere. Though it turns out For Ruin has released a split, a demo, and an EP, this band is entirely fresh to this writer. Hailing from Ireland, youd be forgiven for assuming For Ruin play a form of folk or Pagan tinged music, as it seems that is what those Irish are known, giving birth to Primordial, Geasa, Cruachan, and Mael Mordha. The reality is that Ireland produces superior music which is constantly disregarded for some odd reason. The music of such bands as Scald, Stand-Up Guy, Wreck of the Hesperus, and now For Ruin are worthy of being sought out, as the sound of each is truly rewarding.
December is what metal is all about. It is attention grabbing, beautiful, moving, emotional, and comes from the heart. With each note, it is apparent mastermind John Murphy put thought in how every song should be structured, and executed. The music found within will bring to mind the likes of mid period Death, Dark Tranquillitys early years, Dawns brilliant debut album, early Amorphis, and some vintage Katatonia. A wide array of music, yes, but then add stellar guitar work ala Iron Maiden and the heart of the underground and there you have it, Faithful Reader.
The entire forty-three minutes flow seamlessly and quickly. Before you are aware the album will end, and you will realize that you missed intricate parts of the ten heavily woven hymns. It is hard to listen to December and not concentrate on the divine melodic guitar play between John Murphy and Drew Myers. Faithful Reader, you will not here more sublime and emotional twin harmonies this year. For Ruin does it with class and more importantly, balls. Murpheys vocals are executed quite effectively. Not understandable, but they have a certain guttural gruffness that adds an air of darkness and sadness. The funny thing is, Murphey is most compelling when he is quiet, and lets the music convey the message. Another highlight is the drum playing by Barry English. He just plays, and plays to the song. He does not try to dictate the song or go off on tangents to showcase his abilities. It is a shame Barry OSullivans bass is not very audible. At times it can be heard clearly, and it is noticeable, and not an afterthought to the listener. For Ruin seem to realize the bass is an integral part of a bands sound. In the future, let it be heard.
As for the songs themselves, well, there are many gems. Opener 'Into Red' sets the stage perfectly for what is to come. A powerful melody line opens the floodgates to the dark maelstrom. 'Wake' begins strongly, only to calm down and let the bass lines flow. To complete the one-two-three combo, 'Towards the Sun' is able to convey a feeling of hope and loss simply by the initial riff with blastbeats backing it up. 'Starling' is yet another jewel. It is probably the best written song on the album. However, with 'Frailty', For Ruin truly won this writers heart. A truly moving piece that never moves beyond a mid-pace, it is quite truly one of the more refined songs heard all year. The melodies are gorgeous, and it is the perfect ending to a spectacular album.
Faithful Reader, you need December. If only to remind you that metal can be beautiful, soulful, melodic, yet still retain what makes it metal in the first place: a sense of being underground. For those that have lost hope, December might well be your savior.
Official For Ruin Website
Official Sentinel Ireland Website
Sentinel Records GOK011 September 15, 2007
By Wayward_Son
What a surprise For Ruins debut, December, turned out to be. Seriously, this one seemingly came out of nowhere. Though it turns out For Ruin has released a split, a demo, and an EP, this band is entirely fresh to this writer. Hailing from Ireland, youd be forgiven for assuming For Ruin play a form of folk or Pagan tinged music, as it seems that is what those Irish are known, giving birth to Primordial, Geasa, Cruachan, and Mael Mordha. The reality is that Ireland produces superior music which is constantly disregarded for some odd reason. The music of such bands as Scald, Stand-Up Guy, Wreck of the Hesperus, and now For Ruin are worthy of being sought out, as the sound of each is truly rewarding.
December is what metal is all about. It is attention grabbing, beautiful, moving, emotional, and comes from the heart. With each note, it is apparent mastermind John Murphy put thought in how every song should be structured, and executed. The music found within will bring to mind the likes of mid period Death, Dark Tranquillitys early years, Dawns brilliant debut album, early Amorphis, and some vintage Katatonia. A wide array of music, yes, but then add stellar guitar work ala Iron Maiden and the heart of the underground and there you have it, Faithful Reader.
The entire forty-three minutes flow seamlessly and quickly. Before you are aware the album will end, and you will realize that you missed intricate parts of the ten heavily woven hymns. It is hard to listen to December and not concentrate on the divine melodic guitar play between John Murphy and Drew Myers. Faithful Reader, you will not here more sublime and emotional twin harmonies this year. For Ruin does it with class and more importantly, balls. Murpheys vocals are executed quite effectively. Not understandable, but they have a certain guttural gruffness that adds an air of darkness and sadness. The funny thing is, Murphey is most compelling when he is quiet, and lets the music convey the message. Another highlight is the drum playing by Barry English. He just plays, and plays to the song. He does not try to dictate the song or go off on tangents to showcase his abilities. It is a shame Barry OSullivans bass is not very audible. At times it can be heard clearly, and it is noticeable, and not an afterthought to the listener. For Ruin seem to realize the bass is an integral part of a bands sound. In the future, let it be heard.
As for the songs themselves, well, there are many gems. Opener 'Into Red' sets the stage perfectly for what is to come. A powerful melody line opens the floodgates to the dark maelstrom. 'Wake' begins strongly, only to calm down and let the bass lines flow. To complete the one-two-three combo, 'Towards the Sun' is able to convey a feeling of hope and loss simply by the initial riff with blastbeats backing it up. 'Starling' is yet another jewel. It is probably the best written song on the album. However, with 'Frailty', For Ruin truly won this writers heart. A truly moving piece that never moves beyond a mid-pace, it is quite truly one of the more refined songs heard all year. The melodies are gorgeous, and it is the perfect ending to a spectacular album.
Faithful Reader, you need December. If only to remind you that metal can be beautiful, soulful, melodic, yet still retain what makes it metal in the first place: a sense of being underground. For those that have lost hope, December might well be your savior.
Official For Ruin Website
Official Sentinel Ireland Website
