Manchester Punk Festival Releases 37th Compilation
Manchester Punk Festival have released the 37th volume of their compilation series ahead of this year’s festival. Manchester Punk Festival Vol. 37 is…
I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes - Bridge Nine Records
Ruiner is yet another incredibly solid hardcore act that after listening to, I should have run across sooner. My introduction to the Maryland five-piece has come in the form of 2008’s odds and ends compilation,I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes. It’s a fitting starting point because the album consists of everything before 2005 that initially caught their eventual fans’ attention. The release includes their What Could Possibly Go Right EP, a couple of songs from a split with Day of the Dead, and a couple of demos to round it off.
Ruiner defines themselves through a combination of passionate but decipherable screaming, rather melodic guitars, and a blistering drumbeat. They don’t dwell in breakdowns like many hardcore acts; rather, they slow down when necessary, like the bridge in “Adhering to Superstition,” to achieve the desired effect – possibly with some added gang vocals – and then carry on their way. When it comes to song structure, the group predominantly takes their inspiration from punk influences. Even so, their passion is entirely hardcore.
A key difference between current 2009 and pre-2005 Ruiner can be found in track length. A quick survey of their recently released Hell Is Empty reveals a collection of two to three minute tracks, whereas the average track on I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes clocks in at a minute thirtyish. Consequently, this compilation provides some of Ruiner’s most raw and stripped down material, making I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes a no frills introduction to the band.
From a fan’s perspective, the comp provides the first time to own the original demos in a cleaned up, mastered state. While this doesn’t mean a lot to me (yet), I imagine most fans will eat this up – if they haven’t already.
So if you like punk-fueled hardcore, Ruiner is the band for you. Of course you probably already know that by now, unless, like me, you’ve been living under a rock. Even so, I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes is a succinct little package. Newcomers can appreciate it as a barebones introduction to the band, and established fans can enjoy it as convenient way to complete their collections.