Album Review: Beneath the Ruin – This Things a Quiet Madness Made (Self Released)

On Friday the 21st of October, progressive metal band Beneath the Ruin released their debut album ‘This Thing a Quiet Madness Made’, which is available to stream on all platforms now.

Talking about the release, vocalist, Dan Fido, explained:

For me, This Thing a Quiet Madness Made was a joyful and therapeutic experience. We had a lot of fun with it, using bouncy Djent riffs and experimenting with different atmospheric soundscapes, samples, and techniques, we really challenged ourselves, put the work in and ultimately poured our hearts and souls into this record.

The effort put in to delivering something complex, detailed and memorable is clear from the very start. Beneath the Ruin wanted to make an impact here and across nine tracks they do that with aplomb. Kicking off with a soundtrack style intro of melodrama and atmosphere (Fire), the sense of something more lavish is apparent and gets the blood pumping nicely for what will follow.

Which just happens to be an eccentric, groovy and technical marvel of heaviness coming in the form of Sandalphon and Shadow of a Statue. Beneath the Ruin showcasing varied modern touches in both the instruments and the vocals. Infectious music that genre-blends impressively.

One of the album’s highlights then comes in the form of Delta-VII. A track modern day tale of victory over the struggles of mental health. Featuring the immense vocal talents of Raised by Wolves’ vocalist Liv Johnson. A track that is passionately melodic, elaborately detailed and with moments of intensity. It’s a powerful anthem for mental health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnPavN36Gk4

A disturbing and nightmarish intermission called //Memory// comes next, before starry effects and thick riffs chance the tone of the album with the title track. This is a song that has booming heaviness, yet is layered with so many unique sounding ideas that it never drags the mind down. Which certainly isn’t the case with the crunchiest track on the album, Vader. The extravagant intro leading to an explosion of heavy-hitting riffs and drums. The vocals add a touch of melody but the major focus of this track is rooted in head-banging noise.

The penultimate track is the wonderful Uprising. Where a melodramatic start, softly sung vocals and melodic guitars, quickly gives way to a burst of energy and then an eruption of metal. The pace is far quicker, the rhythm much more angular but the prominent placement of melody keeps things feeling mellow. That, and the constantly clean vocals.

The album capped off with the lengthy brilliance of They Spoke in Dissonance. Everything that is so impressive about this album, rolled into one. Jaw-dropping progressive melody and groove, startling tonal shifts, lavish effects and so much more. It’s a thrilling album closer and the cherry on top of one hell of a head-turning release. There’s no denying the stardom that is in Beneath the Ruin’s future based off this debut.

Beneath the Ruin – This Things a Quiet Madness Made Full Track Listing:

1. Fire
2. Sandalphon
3. Shadow of a Statue
4. Delta-VII (feat. Liv Johnson)
5. //Memory//
6. This Thing a Quiet Madness Made
7. Vader
8. Uprising
9. They Spoke in Dissonance

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