Ruiner is a new band, and thus, their name is probably going to bring up the immediate thought of A Wilhelm Scream due to that band's last effort. And while I'm sure it's a distinct possibility the members of Ruiner enjoy that record, their sound is one that draws more from the hardcore side of things notably more than the punk assembly. Similarities may be drawn to With Honor and early Modern Life Is War, but Ruiner seems fairly unique doing an otherwise paint by numbers sound.
Production-wise, the slightly raw finish of the band's 8-song CD|EP What Could Possibly Go Right... (released previously on a 7" via Firestarter / Grave Mistake) suits the band's sound well. Ruiner sounds pissed off, and that's evident in their liberal "fuck" usage, but it's not because their friends broke edge, or because their crew isn't receiving proper medical benefits; no, Ruiner manage to stray from their genre's clichés, instead opting for more emotional territory, sounding honest in their explorations of tense relationships and reminiscing of better times; "I remember just how it used to be / When the nights were fucking ours / and those summers last too long / but that feeling was as depressing as the day my eyes met yours." You'll find With Honor's musical influence most prevalent in "A Bridge Too Many" with its unrelenting tempos and galloping guitars, while the lyrical base nods to MLIF as it speaks briefly of shallow small towns. The band doesn't take themselves entirely seriously, however, as noted in the breakdown of "Adhering to Superstition" with the broken up chants of "If / I / had / a / time / machine...hell yeah!" "Paint Peals" is as great as straight-forward melodic hardcore punk comes, speeding along its first forty-five seconds or so and culminating in the break point of gang vocals shouting "Holy shit, who fucking cares?!"
I can't say enough good things about 2005 and hardcore. This year really has produced a number of good records for the genre, and even so, many of them are previews of things to come. Ruiner's debut here is quite the addition to this ever-growing pile; recommended.
MP3s
Paint Peals
Getting Over the Overs
STREAM
Out Go the Candles