OUT NOW: Within The Ruins' 'Phenomena II'

Progressive deathcore giants WITHIN THE RUINS are pleased to unleash their new video for “Demon Killer.” The ferocious new hymn comes off of the band’s Phenomena II full-length, out today on MNRK Heavy!

Phenomena II serves as the sequel to the WITHIN THE RUINS ’ critically lauded Phenomena full-length, which was released a decade ago and has reaped over 18 million streams to date! “We had written a handful of songs, and we were searching for inspiration,” recalls guitarist Joe Cocchi. “We wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Phenomena, because it was a pinnacle point of our career. I wrote a demo that reminded [vocalist] Steve [Tinnon] of Phenomena. So, it was his idea to create Phenomena II. The styles really aligned in terms of the unique guitar effects and the themes where each track tells a story from a comic book character’s point-of-view.”

With “Demon Killer,” the band tempers technicality with moral ambiguity within its depiction of [DC Comics antihero] Constantine. “It checked all of the boxes by utilizing this glitchy effect we started using on Phenomena,” Cocchi elaborates. “‘Demon Killer’ is Constantine. He was born into a world that never appreciated him. Steve is breaking down his character by talking about his internal conflicts and how he’s fighting evil with evil.”

“We absolutely love how this video turned out,” adds Tinnon. “The imagery and effects do incredible justice to the character of John Constantine, and really encapsulate his struggle between the forces of good and evil.” 

WITHIN THE RUINS recently confirmed five Southwest headlining shows this October with support from Gore. See all confirmed dates below and stay tuned for additional shows to be announced in the weeks to come.

SEE ALL DATES HERE

WITHIN THE RUINS ANNOUNCE 'PHENOMENA II' FULL-LENGTH ALBUM

Progressive deathcore outfit WITHIN THE RUINS will unleash their long-awaited new full-length, Phenomena II, August 23rd through MNRK Heavy today, releasing the record’s first single and preorders. Phenomena II serves as the sequel to the band’s critically adored Phenomena full-length, which was released a decade earlier and has over 18 million streams to date!

Evolution drives longevity. WITHIN THE RUINS relentlessly pushes forward, incinerating complacency and innovating out of its ashes. The Western Massachusetts quartet — Joe Cocchi (guitar), Kevin McGuill (drums), Paolo Galang (bass, clean vocals), and Steve Tinnon (lead vocals) — razes convention with a sonic sensory onslaught anchored by polyrhythmic bludgeoning, head-nodding grooves, viscerally evocative vocals, and vivid storytelling. Their controlled chaos has resulted in tens of millions of streams (a rarity for acts this uncompromisingly heavy), packed houses on tour, and widespread acclaim courtesy of Alternative Press, American Songwriter, Loudwire, Metal Injection, Phoenix New Times, and many more.

Now, they continue to evolve on their seventh full-length offering, Phenomena II. “When you listen to us, we hope you feel like you found some fresh metal,” notes Cocchi. “After doing anything for a long time, it’s easy to get stuck in your ways. So, we always try to present something you haven’t heard before—and you aren’t going to get anywhere else.”

That’s what the band has done since their formation in 2003…

As the story goes, Cocchi and McGuill first linked up back in high school. They slogged it out locally for a long time, solidifying the initial core lineup of WITHIN THE RUINS with previous vocalist Tim Goergen. Building a devout fan base one gig and project at a time, they served up Creature (2009), Invade (2010), and Elite (2013), paving the way for the fan favorite, Phenomena (2014). Drawing its primary subject matter from Marvel and DC characters, the latter yielded two of their most popular anthems “Gods Amongst Men” and “Enigma,” which reeled in 4.7 million Spotify streams and 3.5 million Spotify streams, respectively. Following Halfway Human (2017), the musicians welcomed Steve Tinnon to the fold and ignited Black Heart during 2020. Highlighted by “Deliverance,” “Devil In Me,” and “Black Heart,” the latter incited critical applause. American Songwriter praised how “ WITHIN THE RUINS takes deathcore to a new level with Black Heart.” 

Tinnon’s addition had injected fresh fire into the band as they continued to write and record. In the meantime, Cocchi opened up his own brewery Tin Bridge Brewing where he and McGuill both work. Tin Bridge Brewing also serves as the band’s homebase, including their studio on site. With the decade anniversary of Phenomena looming, the musicians made a conscious decision to leap forward by looking back. The band wrote and recorded in their hub of Westfield, Massachusetts with Cocchi at the helm as producer once again.

“We had written a handful of songs, and we were searching for inspiration,” recalls Cocchi. “We wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Phenomena, because it was a pinnacle point of our career. I wrote a demo that reminded Steve of Phenomena. So, it was his idea to create Phenomena II. The styles really aligned in terms of the unique guitar effects and the themes where each track tells a story from a comic book character’s point-of-view.”

The record’s first single, “Castle In The Sky,” opens with ominous orchestration as Tinnon’s distinct growl weighs heavy on the production. Between gunshots, wailing sirens, and a haunting choir, pummeling guitars hit like a battering ram, and a fret-burning solo strikes with the precision of a smart bomb.

“It has everything people want to hear from us out of the gate,” says Cocchi. “There’s some old-school WITHIN THE RUINS in there. Lyrically, it’s based on The Punisher. He’s a war veteran who has his family taken away from him. The central struggle is, ‘Would he rather be alive or reunite with his family in the castle in the sky?’”

Within The Ruin's 'Phenomena' 10 year anniversary vinyl is available for pre-order, as well.

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