RUINOUS – Graves of Ceaseless Death
- by Matt Coe
- Posted on 25-11-2016
Featuring members or ex-members of Goreaphobia, Incantation, Disma, Funebrarum, and Kalopsia, Ruinous hail from New Jersey and deal out the death metal brutality on their debut full-length "Graves of Ceaseless Death". Tremolo-picking signals opener "The Tombs of Blasphemy" in crushing Unleashed-like evilness, while dirty bass grooves punctuate the d-beat driven follow up "Transfixed on the Gate". The nine songs create a sonic maelstrom, peeling off riffs, blast beats, and mid-tempo grooves against crazed, whammy bar/tap-oriented leads just like the 1990’s death bands who thought catchiness first, then intricacy later.
Amidst the quicker hitting tracks, the 11:27 "Through Stygian Catacombs" allows the listener a chance to peak into Ruinous’ doom/death side, the main structure brooding as guitarist Matt Medeiros shrieks from a dim cave and adds doubled growls to intensify the lurking despair while the bursts of blasting mania. This trio deliver valid compositions making "Graves of Ceaseless Death" worthy of investigation if old school death is in your head and heart.