New York death metal bands are known for the uncompromising brutality and aggression despite the fewer bands that have been spawning from the underground scene of this area. The state of New York brought famous bands to the masses, starting with some of my favorite acts such as Incantation, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Morpheus Descends and more. 20 Buck Spin once again brings us another quality band from New York as they present the third album of the brutal war metal band Ruin Lust. Formed in the year 2011 by J.Wilson (guitars, vocals), M.Rekevics (vocals, drums), S.Bennet (guitars) and Owen Runquist (bass guitar and vocals). Ruin Lust plays a bestial style of blackened death metal which is akin to bands such as Blasphemy.

The U.S. quartet debuted their self-titled studio album in 2013 and remained dormant for six years before they released the sophomore album Sacrifice. Recently the band has signed a deal with 20 Buck Spin to release their newest album Choir of Babel. The musical trademark of the band epitomizes the brutal cacophony of the first wave of black metal. Ruin Lust encapsulates the influences from the extreme and bestial outfits that shaped the first wave of death/black metal. The obscene and the outburst of profanity describes the barbarous nature of their newest album.

Choir of Babel is immoderately brutal and vicious, fulfilled by five destructive choirs of merciless brutality. With the inhuman and frenzied opening of the first track The Choir of Babel the raw ingredients of sinister death metal riffs resonate with the grinding drums along with the hellish growls uttered by dual vocals ejecting the venom of fire. Ruin Lust reflects the hellish side of bands such as Blasphemy, they also impose brutal qualities of the feral of death metal and form visions of death and destruction. The guitars are launched by straight-edged sawing riffs and deliver a bestial slab of death metal. Prison of Sentient Horror encompasses these qualities and the cohesive work of the drums brings an acute grinding effect.

The unstoppable force of the buzzing guitars and the loud bass emits the cacophonous dissonance. The band embraces the primary sound of the primordial death metal where the clear propensity to blackened death metal is brought by the savage motion of the blast beats. Choir of Babel is a solid approach to war metal, more efficiently the band is able to manifest the form of their passive energy. Therefore the tracks on the new album are layered with dissonance and low guttural growls. There are multiple elements that make Ruin Lust sounds like a modified version of the band Blasphemy.

While the technique is focused on the raw quality of war metal, the newest output is chaotic and fast. Worm has more variation, for example, with pacing shifts from slow to thunderous reverberation. With a down-tuned bass guitar, the riffs sound like a chainsaw and they’re overwhelmingly brutal. The album also has superb sound quality and for this reason, the songs have a strong blast of power. Choir of Babel oscillates between the fast-paced and mid-tempo shifts.

Each year the list of war metal bands expands and if I would compare Ruin Lust to other bands such as Abominator, or Abysmal Lord. I’d say Ruin Lust is more fierce and vehement though. Extremity and barbarity have always been the traits of war metal bands and this U.S. quartet wreaks havoc on their latest album. Bestial Magnetism is an interesting fusion of dissonant chords vs. brutality. Brought by extreme churning guitars, low bass and abrasive drums the incendiary riffs produce heavy impulses. 

Rite of Binding lasts for eight minutes and is the longest track of the album that shifts between fast and slow tempo. The improved production makes the band stands somewhere between the primordial and the modern style of war metal although the attempt here is more succinct than what the band has offered in the past. Among my favorite war metal bands such as Teitanblood, Tetragrammacide, Proclamation, and Diocletian this releases will find a good home. Ruin Lust‘s newest album is essential for fans of war metal and other modern bands which I have mentioned. In spite of the short duration of the album which spins for nearly half an hour, the band delivers a grimy tone of bestial war metal.  

Release Date: March 13th , 2020
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Track list:

1. The Choir Of Babel
2. Prison Of Sentient Horror
3. Worm
4. Bestial Magnetism
5. Rite of Binding