Phenomena

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Who says a band needs to disappear for years at a time between albums? Pantera dropped a classic album every other year from 1990 to 1996. The late Chuck Schuldiner unleashed seven classic Death albums in the span of just over ten years. So when a band hits the kind of creative stride, chemistry and metallic momentum WITHIN THE RUINS tapped into with last year s breakthrough album they d be fools to slow down now. Within The Ruins wasted no time in crafting a new career-defining landmark, Phenomena. The band s new album is the next step forward from Elite, further jettisoning all but the best components of the oft-maligned deathcore genre to reveal a band whose all-out assault of heaviness won t be confined by genre. The band shreds with the best of them of course, maintaining a place next to Between The Buried And Me and The Faceless, but the new album is even more about songs than scales. Phenomena maintains an emphasis on showmanship with ever increasing diversity, smartly sidestepping predictable structures and contrived breakdowns. Within The Ruins are exploring the type of sonic textures and esoteric territory explored by Gojira. In some spots, a more nuanced vocal assault creeps in, with powerful might. Album kickoff Gods Amongst Men boasts a clearly defined chorus, the first of its kind to truly emerge. Fans of the slower, sludgy groove of Feeding Frenzy are sure to dig The Other. The dissonant guitars and evocative synthesizers of Calling Card would seem out of place in their earlier work, but on Phenomena, it s just part of the rich tapestry. The fans wholeheartedly embraced Elite. Considering how much Phenomena takes Within The Ruins music to the next level, there s no limit to how far this band can go.