Review: Krieg’s Ruiner is an Appropriately Named Destroyer of Worlds
As American black metal icons, Krieg have always stood out for a number of reasons. At a time when North American black metal bands were getting laughed off as lesser-than acts compared to their European counterparts, Krieg was among the first from our part of the world to really break through. Their attack on the genre helped put the U.S. black metal scene on the map and their latest studio effort Ruiner continues that full-frontal assault.
This should go without saying, but it’s been a minute since we got any new music from Krieg. In fact, as the band hadn’t released a new full-length album since 2014’s Transient. Sure, they’ve released some music during that time, but this is their first LP in nine years, so there was a lot riding on it. With fans having to wait so long between releases, I’m happy to report that the wait was worth it — Ruiner lives up to the hype.
The album, another offering from band mastermind Neill Jameson, harkens back to the days of their earlier works, like Destruction Ritual, The Black House, and Blue Miasma. It keeps plenty of melody in the mix, but really kicks things up a notch with the psychosis and desolation of the music.
There are almost too many standout tracks on this album to name a few, but there are a couple that deserve an even closer look than the rest. “No Gardens Grow Here” is one of the most powerful, sad ballads in black metal history with some really superb melodic guitar work. “Fragments of Nothing,” my favorite song from the record, is one of the grooviest songs the band have written.
Meanwhile, “Manifested Ritual Horror” breaks all the rules of black metal, leaning into more punk tropes over the course of the track. And if you’re looking for something heavy, then you’re going to really enjoy “An Execution in the Kingdom of Ideas,” which proves to be the heaviest and most aggressive track from the album.
Honestly, if you’re a fan of black metal or you’re looking to find some cool new American band to listen to and you enjoy the genre, then you’re going to want to pick up Krieg’s Ruiner when it drops this Friday.
Krieg’s Ruiner will be available this Friday, October 13 via Profound Lore Records. You can preorder your copy today. The band also have a small group of shows on the east coast planned. You can check out the full list of dates below.
KRIEG Live:
11/10/2023 The Kingsland – Brooklyn, NY
11/11/2023 Dusk – Providence, RI
11/12/2023 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA w/ Bastard Cross, Cathedrals In The Night
