Written: 13th August 2024
In 2014, Within The Ruins released one of their most popular albums – Phenomena. As its tenth anniversary approached, the band made a conscious decision to look back, while also continuing their evolution. “We had written a handful of songs, and we were searching for inspiration,” recalls guitarist Joe Cocchi. “We wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Phenomena, because it was a pinnacle point of our career. I wrote a demo that reminded Steve of Phenomena. So, it was his idea to create Phenomena II. The styles really aligned in terms of the unique guitar effects and the themes where each track tells a story from a comic book character’s point-of-view.”
Throughout Phenomena II, Within The Ruins are not afraid to experiment with dynamics, mood and tempo. Opening track, Castles In The Sky, starts with buoyant, animated synths juxtaposed with the slightly distant vocals of Steve Tinnon. I have nothing left to lose / Let me be done and join you / I'd give, I'd give anything, to be with you in the castle in the sky. Building tension, the synths rise in pitch. Finally releasing the pressure, Kevin McGuill’s drums rain down, fluctuating between powerful grooves and thunderous blast beats. Based on The Punisher, Tinnon takes on the character’s persona with fierce, combative verve. “It has everything people want to hear from us out of the gate. There’s some old school Within The Ruins in there. Lyrically, it’s based on The Punisher. He’s a war veteran who has his family taken away from him. The central struggle is, ‘Would he rather be alive or reunite with his family in the castle in the sky?’” Setting the tone for the entire album, Castles In The Sky is an assertive opening statement that combines power and melody with its hostile stance, Joe Cocchi’s solo enthralling from the outset.
Daybreaker – featuring even more vigorous vocals from Tinnon, a killer breakdown and more thoughtfully layered guitar from Cocchi – and third track Demon Killer maintain the intensity as the album takes shape. Continuing the comic book theme, Demon Killer - based around the character of John Constatine - makes effective use of jagged rhythms, staccato synths and mighty bass contributions from Paolo Galang. Commenting on the internal conflict that dwells with Constantine, the track deftly balances the band’s inherent force with vibrant, hook laden passages. “It checks all of the boxes by utilizing this glitchy effect we started using on Phenomena,” Cocchi elaborates.
As on previous albums, Phenomena II includes instrumentals - three in this case: Level 12, Death Mask and Enigma II. Cocchi reveals what inspired the band to start this trend. “On every album since 2010, we’ve always done instrumentals because of Metallica,” he smiles. “They’re popular with our fans too.” Level 12 – which refers to the 12th level intellect in DC Comics – is an amalgamation of effervescent arpeggiated synths, raw guitar riffs and syncopated drumming from McGuill. Rapid and restless, it highlights the technical abilities of the band. Among the most searing tracks on the album, Death Mask’s initial minutes are a ferocious, pulverizing run of blast beats against the slamming chords from Cocchi and Galang’s ever-changing bass lines. Fans of Enigma from Phenomena will be thrilled with the inclusion of Enigma II which ends the album. There is plenty within the track that points to the decade old original but enough that moves the idea forward, keeping it relevant to Phenomena II. With varied tempos, intertwined and, at times, mirroring guitar parts that keep the track moving forward and yet further evidence of the synergy between Galang and McGuill, Enigma II - which like Enigma includes some Easter eggs - leaves listeners wanting more.
Elsewhere, Eater of Worlds and Corruption both stomp with monumental, commanding riffs, the latter a full-blooded, ruthless goliath that admirers of Cocchi’s fiery fret work and the band’s most unrelenting brutal material will savour. With formidable impact, Chaos Reigns is, for the most part, five minutes of unrestrained energy and unadulterated aggression. Yet within the track, just before the two-minute mark, resides a melodically captivating guitar solo that highlights Within The Ruins’ wish to integrate the different aspects of their personality as a band.
Adding to the variety on the album, The Last Son, while still monolithic in stature, slows the tempo on occasion, to weave its narrative based on existential struggles of Superman. Nuanced in its approach, it portrays Superman as a misunderstood hero, grappling with his identity and purpose in a world that both needs and fears him. So I accept mankind as my people / Yet they reject me out of fear / Now my existence is sin / Why do they fear, and hate, what they don't understand? With a gargantuan groove amongst its unforgiving riffs, this is the dark, introspective side of Superman, not the glossy sheen of the most colourful moments of the early films. Tinnon’s rendering of the character is drenched with feelings of self-doubt and amongst his most guttural of the entire album.
With Phenomena II, Within The Ruins have achieved their aim of looking back to Phenomena but maintained much of the aspects of their more recent material. The fact that two of the band – Steve Tinnon and Paolo Galang – were not members in 2014 but that they fully committed to the concept of Phenomena II, shows just how close the quartet are as a unit. Fans of the band and particularly the original album will find plenty of nods to it - including the album cover - without feeling that this is merely just more of the same; there is enough variability to keep listeners interested. Within The Ruins straddle the line between deathcore, metalcore, moments that stray into progressive metal, elements of djent and the use of synths, so as such will not appeal to every metal fan. Consequently, while Phenomena II may not convert all of those who have previously dismissed the band as outside of their interest, those who enjoy something that is both technically proficient and forceful but also inherently listenable and can embrace the electronic aspects of the music, this album will fulfil all of their requirements. Precise, potent and engaging.
Phenomena II is released on 23rd August 2024
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