Review Summary: Anything but...
Within The Ruins, loved, adored or hated. Hailing from Westfield, Massachusetts, the band has more-or-less teetered the line between metalcore and deathcore since the group’s inception and unfortunately, a focus on the genre’s stereotypes leaves the listener with a record that’s stale from a band that actually showed some promise. Now, let’s get a few things in order. The album itself isn’t actually bad, but it’s not exactly a show-stopper either. This could be from an almost revolving door in line-ups but the result is clearer than ever; an affair filled to the brim with chug-a-long riffing and same sounding vocal lines. Within The Ruins have given life to an album that is focused, yet unwilling to stretch beyond the stereotypes and in turn have showed how
Elite, moves the band absolutely nowhere.
Simply put, Within The Ruins can and more importantly, have done much better than this. For what it’s worth
Elite should be a successful release, building off the back of
invade showing a band building off the momentum of past releases. Alas,
Elite is a step back for the band who could have been so much more, but as far as the genre goes Within The Ruins sits squarely within the typical, formulaic structure of both the deathcore and metalcore genres respectively. As far as the band’s music goes, an onslaught of breakdowns is expected, but by album’s end the effect is overbearing, simply becoming too much of the same thing and ultimately, leaving the listener somewhat nonplussed. Within The Ruin’s 2013 record may not be the fully enjoyable masterpiece, nor is it the proverbial train-wreck.
Elite does a little less than what’s expected. Within The Ruins is now a while away from their high-school roots but the band has regressed by shape and sound. Casual metalcore/deathcore will find something to enjoy within the forty minute display of
Elite, but unfortunately, the band has proved they are anything but the album title.
Conforming to the stereotypes of the genre, Within The Ruins promotes the idea of releasing a record that simply goes nowhere, throwing in splashes of technicality and moderately enjoyable breakdowns.
Elite makes all the right moves but fails to impress on most grounds. Yes, aspects of the record do appeal to the avid listener, but those moments are either far and few between or overdone to a point of a tediousness. Within The Ruins can take it in their stride that they have not released a bad album per-se, just incredibly average. For loyal fans, Within The Ruins have managed to cement their sound with their 2013 release, but for the casual listener, there is definitely better out there. The occasional addition of flair does not make up for the almost forty-minutes of repetitive phrasing and on par vocal groupings.
