Here’s a band that knows the trick for creating a fresh melodic modern hardcore album with the obvious metal influences. If you use melody do it catchy and convincing, if you break-down, do it all the way and if you explode don’t implode. In the vein of Killswitch Engage, Age Of Ruin sip from as many metal and hardcore wells as possible. A bit of Swedish mid-nineties death metal, a lot of modern hardcore, some classical metal draped in guitar harmonies and you have yourself a winner.

The band avoids the straight forward or dissonant approach but instead arranges songs with plenty of rich musical elements, turning each song into a little adventure.

But most of all turning The Tides Of Tragedy into a very mature piece of art. There are truly some stunning parts on the album and thanks to the very adult arrangements none of the songs become boring or have those ‘cool, this sounds like Slayer’ moments. Check out “Diaries Of The Dead” and be convinced because if you can pull out tracks like that as a band you’ve got some good times ahead for sure.