Phenomena

Blending the mechanical with the visceral, Within the Ruins create a terrifying juggernaut of an album on their fourth effort, Phenomena. Executing their relentless deathcore with almost robotic precision, the band create a sound that feels like an unstoppable, uncaring machine whose only goal is to grind the listener into a fine paste. Helping to paint this picture is Phenomena's heavily processed production, giving every element of Within the Ruins' sound a sense of sterile perfection, as if the band were performing surgery on their songs rather than playing them. While this might normally leave an album feeling lifeless, the band's impressive musicianship and driving songwriting provide the album with just enough humanity to keep listeners engaged long enough to experience the album's stark brutality.