Band : Versus The Throne
Album title : Ruins Afire
Label : Bastardized
Distributor : Sonic Rendezvous
Release date : 16/10/2009
Release : CD

Münster (Germany) based Versus The Throne was founded in late 2006 from the wish of guitarist Tristan Hachmeister and drummer Tommas Bauer to create music that was at the same time aggressive and melodic, epic, destructive, and honest. Recruiting singer Matthias Held and bassist Sebastian Stening (plus a first second guitarist), they found themselves bonding perfectly at the very first rehearsal and decided to name the band Blood Spencer. Playing their first show in October of their founding year, they already gave the impression of being an energetic live band with loads of potential. Following a couple changes at the position of second guitar, they got their good friend Timo Lohmann on board, and with now over 120 shows and 3 DIY records (2006’s Face Off, 2007’s Only The Distance Remains, and 2008’s Our Prophecy Resides) to their credit, the outfit’s managed to become a constant  on the Metal/ Hardcore scene!

They decided to take things to a next level (going professional musicians) in April 2009, and finding the bandname didn’t fit the band members’ expectations anymore, the guys changed it to Versus The Throne. They also signed onto a professional booking agent (Mad Tourbooking, whom also handle/ handled All Shall Perish, Hatebreed, Sworn Enemy, and more of that ilk…), and signed to Imperial Clothing for their merchandise, while gaining several endorsements as well. Having also secretively signed to Bastardized Recordings, they made recordings for this album at the famed Rape Of Harmonies Studio in July, and as a result fans of Metalcore can now find Ruins Afire in shops around the globe!

Their music (as you will be able to witness by surfing to myspace.com/versusthethrone and listen to the 5 tracks posted there) is a conglomerate of elements from Hardcore, Thrash, and Death Metal, with Melody as a first demand. Regretfully, the band also puts quite a lot of breakdowns, lead parts and solos within one track, making it difficult for the casual listener to find marking points to recognize a song by at a first session! In spite of that, each song is a lust for all among us into a certain amount of complexity! This makes it necessary to give the album several sessions before one has analysed each hook and cranny of the 10 tracks, and therefore Ruins Afire gains an couple of extra points in my book. Nice debut album, indeed!

88/100

Tony.