Digital Ruin

Listen

(c)1997 Siegen Records

Review by Vladimir Levin

Thanks to the band for the CD

I must say I found Digital Ruin's CD cover intriguing, with its mysterious picture of a mansion closed off behind a high iron gate, with the words "The Hand" inscribed above its front window. As it happens, I was very impressed by this highly original and textured combination of industrial and progressive styles.

The vocals reminded me of Dream Theatre's remarkable album "Images and Words". The music in this album is of a high technical quality, yet retains a great deal of powerful emotion; the sound is rich with plentiful guitar melodies, spoken-word samples and mysterious whispering sprinkled throughout.

Listen can be considered a concept album as each track is part of a continual narrative expressed in musical form. The story begins with a desription of a secret society of killers that seems to be part of some sort of religious cult. The remaining songs appear to track the journey of one of the members of the cult who is attempting to leave, to find meaning in the deranged, skewed world he has become a part of. The themes in the album reflect an examination of the dark side of the self, a sense of weariness and unreality from looking upon a contorted world and a yearning for redemption.

The very original blending of a certain cyberpunk sensibility with an otherwise clean progressive style produces a classy and eerie effect. Consistent and emotional, yet varied and refreshing, this is one of the most enjoyable and interesting albums I have had the pleasure to listen to this year. "Listen" wraps its evocative sound around you and leaves you thinking about the evolving the world it creates in your mind long after the album has finished playing in your stereo. "Listen" is really a remarkable achievement in dark and heavy music.

Digital Ruin is:
Joe Sawyer - Guitars
Timothy Hard - Drums
Michael Keegan - Bass
Dave Souza - Guitars
Matthew Pacheco - Vocals, Keyboard

Contact:
Digital Ruin
P.O. Box 363
North Kingstown, RI 02852
USA

Web: http://websnet.com/siegen/

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