For more than ten years these hard-working, hard rocking Aussies have been plying their riff-laden brand of groovy Metal to audiences around the world, garnering a healthy reputation as a good, solid act that enlightens and enhances any gig or festival. After three albums and further extensive touring in 2018, long term vocalist Jake Wiffen chose to step aside…and the band found Steve Welsh. Jake Wiffen wasn’t exactly average by any means, and his voice seemed to suit the band perfectly. But then suddenly you hear Steve Welsh at the helm and holy shit they sound good!
Historically, Dead City Ruins had the basis of an early 90’s, Alice In Chains/Soundgarden attitude mixed with groovy Classic 70’s/80’s Hard Rock/Metal to come out with a recent Crobot/Rival Sons sort of vibe, the only thing lacking being maybe a confidence in a real vocal powerhouse to carry the melodies and be pushed forward in the mix. Step forward the aforementioned vocal powerhouse Steve Welsh and whilst keeping much of their earlier musical approach, they’re now somewhere around the territory of Crobot’s first two (and best) releases, with touches of Black Stone Cherry, still some Rival Sons, but sitting easily alongside “Slave To The Grind” era Skid Row and even Leatherwolf circa “Street Ready”.
It’s the variation of this incarnation of Dead City Ruins that’s key. The band can write a pounding Metal anthem like ‘Dog On A Leash’ that, with its Woah-Woah vocal hook will prove to be another live favourite, and have it gel easily with whisky-soaked Southern Heavy Rocker ‘Rain’. They can ramp up the speed when they choose on tracks like ‘This Side Of The Dirt’, but equally excel at a low-slung sleazy grooves such as ‘Madness’ and ‘Vision’. Basically, when a band can easily entertain just as much with a driving, high energy rocker like ‘Speed Machine’ just as much as they can with a Heavy Blues stomper like ‘Drifter’, you know they’re doing something right. Don’t go looking for ballads here – it ain’t happenin’, it’s hard n’ heavy all the way, dripping in fabulous guitar riffs, enhanced by great touches of lead-work, backed by powerful rhythms and crowned by those fantastic vocals. AFM must be rubbing their hands – they signed a damn fine band back in 2018 and now suddenly they find themselves with something quite special.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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