A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner

Genre rock Publisher Nitro Records External Links Official Website Nitro Records

I'm having a hard time deciding if this is a cousin to speed metal, or something a little more melodic. I'm not sure if the band can tell either. There are brief moments that sound like old-fashioned Metallica. The vocals shine in some places, but are very muddy and difficult to understand in others. Vocal harmonies in places are a nice break from the SHOUTING, which seems to be an overall vocal style. Shouting isn't singing, though it may work for some.

I had to look at the titles repeatedly because the lyrics never matched up. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer the lyrics and titles in the same ballpark. "The King Is Dead," "God Loves A Liar," and "Congratulations" are the rare tracks where it seems the title and lyrics sync up.

The beginning riff of "The King Is Dead" made me hopeful, but the rest of the song, along with the majority of the other tracks, was repetitive. "God Loves A Liar" proved slightly different. No shouting, just real singing. But it's not nearly long enough to make me embrace the entirety of the album. A little tempo and rhythmic variance smattered about work, but no single track stands out.