Band: RUINAS
Country: Spain
Title: Ikonoklasta
Label: Spikerot Records
Year: 2020
Style: Death Grind

Review:
We're usually used to seeing full line-up bands when talking Death Grind, but here we have a duo that does it all like a Black Metal project. Both Ruinas members are or were involved in Ovakner, a Death Crust band that released their one and only material, an EP, in 2017, so I'm not sure this is a continuation of Ovakner, or a totally different thing. Riunas indeed lean more over the Grindcore influence rather than the Crust elements Ovekner incorporated in their music, and Grinding Death Metal would be indeed a fine-tuned label for what the band presents us on this debut album. 13 tracks, a bit over half an hour of playing time, compositions that sound quite different one from another, but still keeping some common ground, which is the ultra-fast Grinding bonanza most of the tracks are featuring at some point. The rest are ranging from mid-tempo to fast paced Death Metal, to (somehow) Melodic Death Metal, Old-school Death Metal, Punk fashioned Death Metal, and mainly all elements you could think of when blending these two genres, Death and Grind, the traditional way, like it is done since the '90's. The best thing about it is exactly this diversity in approach and delivery, you can't get bored while spinning this album (well, if you're not a profane of the genre, obviously). There's also plenty of room for drums and bass to go nuts and take the centre stage in Ruinas' compositions, so all in all I think we're delaying here with a well balanced, fine tuned, energetic, enthusiastic album that should push the band in sight for fans of the genre. Killer cover artwork, too!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10

Contact:
facebook.com/ruinas666
spikerot.com