Review: “Nothingman” by Age of Ruin

The combination of classic Metalcore riffs, harsh verses and sung choruses gives “The Fixation” both instant appeal and a nostalgic charm, drawing the discerning listener in like and old friend offering a warm bear hug. Enhancing the track with nuances, including a little aching piano and a Melodic Death Metal solo are nice touches, as is the acoustic bridge, the melody one richer than the finest of dark roast coffees. As a track it works incredibly well and is a fine introduction not only to the album but the band as a whole, before the galloping drums and slick riffs of “Heavy is the Crown“. Stripping back a little of the complexity in favour of energy and that loose live feel, this one has a real cathartic quality in the screams of the song title from Swan as well as being surprisingly fun. “Lost in Shadows” finds the middle ground between the opening pair of cuts with big Stoner Sludge Metal riffs from the NOLA scene giving the whole thing a new focus and direction. The Swan’s clean vocals on this one are particularly good as the band throw the book of what they should sound like out of the nearest window and simply let the creative juices flow.

Snapping back with an It Dies Today style riff “The Traveler” makes great use of layering as Swan demonstrates his prowess with three distinctively separate voices in the first verse. A deeper, darker death growl swirls around some clean sung lines and a shrill bark in a tale of misery loving company. It carries a similar weight and gravity to works by Phinehas and leaves you safe in the knowledge that the band will somehow squeeze another five percent more energy out of these songs when they play them live. There is a flavour of Metallica in the acoustic ballad that is title track “Nothingman“, a little orchestration enhancing the sentiment before the guitars and drums come in during the final third. A brilliantly worked ember to inferno of a song which will have everyone singing-a-long at the shows, its wonderfully haunting before its powerful conclusion. A palate cleanser for the mind, 51 second long instrumental interlude “An Awakening” is a nice touch, preparing the ground for the final four songs after the grit of the title track while not straying too far from the left hand path.

There is a nice verve and swagger to the Metal ‘n Roll of “The Ghosts We Carry“, the pauses between the riffs allowing the drums and vocals to dominate. Again Swan shines with harsher moments before an almost choral passage that leads into a spellbinding solo. The truth is you can’t help but sing-a-long with this anthem and the more you hear it, the more it grows on you. The guitar style of “The Crimson” era Atreyu is echoed during “Promise Me“, Daniel Fleming and Casey Flanagan deserving a lot of credit for providing such lush vegetation for Swan to feed upon. An extended solo with a glorious tapping part is a mesmerizing as the lyrics are thought provoking and by the end there is no denying that this one is an obvious stand out. Tales of ruin, death, loss and chaos know no end and in “Bleed for Better Days” there is another powerhouse offering with slick leads floating over staccato riff breaks and powerful rhythms in a symphony of destruction. The breakdowns are stacked like pancakes in an American diner at breakfast on this one, as if the band are looking at each other with knowing smiles at an in joke before doing them anyway. Bolstered by some vocals from an unknown female “Lovesong” is the big, bold and fitting conclusion to an album of pure Metalcore fun and frolics from a group of impeccable musicians who have crafted something mighty fine [8/10]

1. The Fixation

2. Heavy is the Crown

3. Lost in Shadows

4. The Traveler

5. Nothingman

6. An Awakening

7. The Ghosts We Carry

8. Promise Me

9. Bleed for Better Days

10. Lovesong