There’s something satisfying about Ramage Inc’s music. I first became acquainted with them in 2013 both through their album “Feel the Waves”, which I bought at the time, and their dynamic appearances at ProgPower Europe in the same year and again in 2018. What I associate with the band is their no nonsense, progressively inclined melodic hard rock / metal style. “Humanity Has Failed” is the band’s fifth album release.
Like a ball which is hit hard, Ramage Inc’s music stays hit. There’s no drift. The theme of this album, as its title suggests, is similarly hard-hitting. From the off Ramage Inc are on the offensive with strong and pungent riffage. Bryan Ramage, the man behind it all, seems to be straining. “Fallen”, the opener, is filled with interesting interludes and inventive rhythms to counterbalance the dark centre. “Say a little prayer for me” is the choral opening lyric to the title song. The deep twang remains a feature. This is more plaintive than what I can remember of Ramage Inc. Mix in the chorus, and it’s very prog in texture, but darker and heavier in tone than you’d find in pure style prog, which this is. “Sacrifice” bellows Bryan amid ominous drums and dark, cloudy scenes. I’d go so far as to say that there’s something dystopian about this. Middle Eastern vibes lead us into “Dune Future”, another darkly textured piece with the sound of the desert. “Live Each Day” is a standout Ramage Inc track – slow and pounding but full of tension and depth, with a powerful message. This is followed by an unnecessary instrumental filler, at least in my eyes, in “Heat Waves”. It’s true that the intensity has been high and in the red zone, and “Heat Waves” hardly takes the foot off the gas, but I couldn’t see the need. Ramage Inc come back with the darkly mysterious “Time Won’t Heal”. “Where is the king of the mountains?” asks Bryan, darkly, amid a moody atmosphere. Bryan is back to his straining, beseeching mode in “Overexpansion”, one of the darkest, heavy and nightmarish slabs on this dark and heavy album. But it’s not all like that, as Bryan crawls through the acoustic start of “Storm of Endings” with his appeal. It builds up in pace and heaviness. There isn’t a lot of light and dark, not at least on the face of it, but “Storm of Endings” demonstrates the musical balance as Bryan implores us, prog-style, with his message.
Djenty twanging and mechanical drumming start off “Nothing to Fear”. We’re on the march. The song, for which there is an accompanying video in circulation, develops into more technical and dangerous territory. The chorus smacks of angst. Hookiness and intrigue combine. Metal symphony then follows in the form of the strident “Unbalanced”. This tees up the monumental 10 minute “When All the Lights Go Out”. Drama seeps through like burning candle wax. The customary dark djenty riff runs through it. There is a mysteriously haunting wail of an Eastern style to add further mystique. “When All the Lights Go Out” is like a story, a metal mini-opera even. The chunky rhythm is the constant as we work through magical guitar passages, sinister breakdowns and haunting mistiness. The drama is taken forward with “Call of The Wild”, which after a longish intro takes a quieter turn, finally expanding and returning to the lofty riff and dramatic, imploring scene. The technical melodic rhythm of “Barriers” is typical, and sets the scene for a bleak and menacing piece. As ever it is musically and vocally colourful, and provides a kaleidoscope of dark and heavy prog landscapes. “The Call for Kiaatu” is an odd song in that it’s a bit like 70s fuzz rock played in a distinctive Ramage Inc metal style, complete this thumping djent. I credit the band for never standing still. This album comprises 15 songs, and whilst there’s a trademark Ramage Inc heavy metal technical style and melody, the nature of the songs is different. The final one is “A Dream of Unity”, which given the bleak tone of the album as a whole suggests perhaps a ray of hope in all of it. The song itself is processional with a choral line running through it. It’s heavy of course, and chunks its way to a close. I’m not sure what hope I was supposed to feel, but I didn’t feel any as we sail away on the Ramagian wind.
I’m glad this was put out for review three months in advance of the public release date, as there is so much to absorb here. You may gather from this that “Humanity Has Failed” is substantial. There are no holds barred. This album is complex and weighty. I found the weightiness a bit overbearing, which caused a distraction from the intended epicness, It’s like weeping and wailing in heavy form, but without doubt this 79 minute work is inventive, expressive and impressive, and captures the musical hardness and flamboyance which identify Ramage Inc.
(8/10 Andrew Doherty)
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