For Ruin - Elapse

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In Cork Ireland, John Murphy began writing songs to eventually develop FOR RUIN for its initial release during 2003.  “Elapse,” as the name suggests, is FOR RUIN first release in about seven years. Guest musician Pete Lawlor played bass on “The Measure of a Man”.  The EP opens in the midst of a direct thrash amidst the title track - as though For Ruin has been doing so through FOR RUIN's seven year lapse from the release of new material. I like this;  we need no explanation for the time lapse.  For Ruin has been, is now, and will ever be - Thrashing.

“Fuel to the Fire”,  the EP’s second track opens similarly.    The singing voice is monstrous - and while many specific words are difficult to determine - the vocals are viscous and appropriately nasty.  I can’t help but thrash my head as I listen to this.  Just before two minute pass–the guitar flanges for a new beat to develop–one that suddenly quiets for a normal speaking / half singing voice - one that rips into the viscous metallic tone; then follows with a phrase I am unable to decipher - and returns back to the sing-song voice - as follows:

 And you refuse to call (?) / (unable to decipher)____ /  We are but shadows and dust / Into each Life a little rain must fall.

The drummer plays a sixteenth note repetition on the snare with a musical tactic I’ve never heard in heavy metal - and with technique - builds tension through a perfect crescendo–restoring, if not exacerbating  the previous energy.  I want to throw a chair through a window in celebration. The title recurs with the antecedent lyrical introductory theme of  “ ‘we are’ “Fuel to the Fire”.     The listener retains “we refuse to die, yet we are “Fuel to the Fire” - together.

 In the “The Worm Turned” opens with what seems to be a short tribute to King Diamond’s “Invisible Guests” and listeners are touched with a familiar nostalgia–and grow excited.  Suddenly a snare drum rudiment to compliment the guitar;  each plays a round form together - the guitar seems to play a minor seventh on a weak beat - and the listener feels the discomfort - an urge for this to resolve: if sitting, we are on the edge of our set; if standing as, at a show, we cringe - like the underground turning of a worm: begging for this tension–this giddy syncopated circle to resolve - (this is good–placing us right on the edge) - and this is innovative & musically aggressive metal with  “(The native hue of resolution /… sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought (Hamlet III / i / 84)”.   The resolution will not occur until about 45 seconds into the song.  At 2:35 - the band initiates a groove between the bass and drums - with a slow and easy guitar hook for the song to progress and finish through a thrash.

The Measure of a Man, the last track,  opens slowly - and develops into a rock ballad - with melodic singing and overtones.   Undistorted Guitars tones resound - and the finalizes & closes the “Elapse” EP with a rhythmic beating of the Toms - and one final stroke signifies the end of yours, in truth.

Songwriting 8
Musicianship 7
Memorability 7
Production 8