Yet another band with a name that makes you hope it doesn’t extend to their music.
From Port Talbot, South Wales. All To Ruin formed in 2011 and had found themselves in favour in the pages of Kerrang! by the end of the same year. After their first 2013 EP, Parables, they’re making a return this year with another short burst of music in the form of Among Us.
Thankfully the second EP from Welsh quartet, All To Ruin, proves everything but what their name may suggest. Among Us gives us a brief but sweet run over of their style in this four song release. The boys have a very accessible style, playing a rather conventional sound that fans of most corners of metal will be able to enjoy.
The band land between a blend of Trivium and Killswitch Engage on a lazy Sunday, only because whilst the music holds the typical heavy qualities of the groups, the vocalist’s clean vocals voice comes across as almost silky smooth in comparison. It can come across as a bit of a shock at first, but this relatively gentle tone fits well over the top of the band’s chugging riffs.
This isn’t to say that they don’t have a heavy edge. Whilst songs like ‘Take the Reins’ and ‘Beneath the Steel Sky’ have a soft, gooey centre the rest of this EP showcases catchy faced paced guitars and punishing drums that portray the band’s heavier, melodic metal side. It’s songs like this that give off a vibe the EP doesn’t just signify a continuation of a successful start by the band, but also that this band are going to have a future of killer live shows with these songs now added to their repertoire.
All To Ruin provide us with some great songs on Among Us; mixed between some tracks that will surely prove to be smashing live anthems and some relatively chilled out metal. Only criticism is the damn thing isn’t longer.
