After last year’s incredible techy ‘Elite’ we are on the verge of yet another insane release from Within The Ruins with Phenomena.
Opening epic ‘Gods Amongst Men’ titillates with synth tones before escalating into hectic and hefty riffs. The striking and memorable chorus parts the riffs into clever songwriting that grips the listener in between Within The Ruins’ incredible intricacies. As the ‘Gods Amongst Men’ interlaces shred, bass, driving drums and addictive lyrics the band are creating iconic tracks that could bring new fans to Phenomena compared to Within The Ruins’ previous releases that may have only appealed to a lover of the highly technical.
‘The Other’ opens in insane fretwork before delving between heaving and heavy moments and wildly elaborate guitars. This elevation is astonishing and leaves you guessing on the first listen and anticipating the next. Tracks like ‘Enigma’ also leave you this way, with cumbersome bass that reveals the band’s incredible flair and musicianship through a track that is almost a journey of instruments.
As Phenomena progresses tracks like ‘Eternal Shore’ continue what we witnessed as the album opened. As the track demands 100% of you as incredible towering drums hammer throughout ‘Eternal Shore’, intertwining with remarkable and elevating riffs that bring the track to such an amazing height that makes Phenomena a benchmark for Within The Ruins. The band is combining elements that are ruthlessly working with their musicianship and songwriting to create iconic tracks on an iconic album. As they shred through tracks there are these stunning thrashing drums that heave power through the album as the sound merges with pulse changing bass.
Phenomena proves that Within The Ruins are not stuck within the confines of deathcore, their progression and dynamic outlook on songwriting reflects that you cannot always make assumptions. This album completely exemplifies its title, Phenomena embodying and illustrating each member of Within The Ruins’ astonishing talent and musicianship whilst taking on new elements that could open up deathcore to new fans who may have previously made incorrect assumptions. So give it a go, you may like it and Within The Ruins may even top this album next time.
