Face Of Ruin
Self Titled
6.5
Hailing from Wisconsin, Face of Ruin, ply a pretty competent if rough around the edges style of modern American death metal on their four song self released demo- that's to say it could be construed as technical death metal, deathcore or heavy metalcore, depending on your ear or personal preferences.
All four players are individually skilled, though as an outfit they could be a bit tighter. They play with a sort of classic technical death metal (Death, Atheist, etc) progressive influence pulsing underneath the modern exterior and the tech aspect is looser and more jangly and melodic rather than being for the throat overkill a la Beneath the Massacre or Origin. Also to their credit, there’s no breakdowns as such, just 15 minutes, four songs of well done technical metal. The third track “Bound Driven to the Altar” is the best of the bunch especially the guitar work just before the 2 minute mark and subsequent blast beat.
Closing track, “Extinction’s Birth” is a close second being the demo’s most savage track with a brief injection of semi cyber programming and a more overall sci-fi/cyber feel that reminds me of a rougher Obscura with a very slight deathcore lean. The production, as you’d expect from a four song self released demo isn’t exactly Jamie King or Zach Ohren quality, but it’s serviceable.
Very promising indeed.
