Demonic, powerful, evil, malevolent and malicious are just a few adjectives for this behemoth from Georgia’s very own Ruins Of Faith. This trio are unleashing their 2nd full length, ‘Dark Evil Illusory Substance’, and it is vile and nasty in the best possible sense of the word.

‘Lords Prayer’ opens the album and starts with some unconventional spoken word, chanting, which could be perceived as maniacal and eccentric at its best, before Tskhvitava, Rukhadze and Doiashvili open the edifice and the pulsating, pummelling black metal construction is laid bare. Doiashvili’s vocals are menacing and sinful, and they are spat out with such venom, you could believe that lucifer herself was controlling the vocalist like a marionette at the end of a set of twisted barbed wires. Rukhadze provides the pulsating and crushing drum support while Tskhvitava has duel duties on the intricate keys as well as the slaughtering bass lines.

The band continues in the same vain and its difficult to pick out any specific highlights when all tracks are of similar ilk, without any real deviation. ‘Evocation Of The Kings’ along with the title track ‘Dark Evil Illusory Substance’, allow Doiashvili to exhibit some magnificent fretwork, alongside his venomous raw vocals. ‘Mortem Universum’ and ‘In The Name Of False Divines’ lay back to back and elevate the aggression and belligerence. The bass and drums work in unison and make perfect sense as they lay woven into the vocals and guitar work of Doiashvili.

‘After The Everlasting Punishment’ and ‘Nuclear Shadow’ grab your soul and tear it crudely from your vertebral column, whilst your timpani’s are laid waste to a true visceral aural assault.

The whole expedition has been building to the crescendo that is the 11.57 minutes of the dénouement in the form of ‘Album Demo Track’. Doiashvili et al unleash their full arsenal in this final attack of your senses and leave you for dead with your cadaver aching for more

If I had to pick any fault in this release, I would say that the trio don’t show any digression or prudence to showing their talents in different guises. Having said that though, when you are able to convey the black arts as obnoxiously and immoral as this creation, then do you really need to depart from your comfort zone? You decide!!

(9/10 Phil Pountney)

https://ruinsoffaith.bandcamp.com/album/dark-evil-illusory-substance

https://www.facebook.com/RuinsOfFaith