Ruination (album)
Encyclopedia
Ruination is the second studio album by American death metal
band Job for a Cowboy
. The follow-up to their first studio album Genesis
, Ruination was recorded at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida
with producer Jason Suecof
and was mixed by Fredrik Nordström
. It was released July 7, 2009 through Metal Blade Records
. The album sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 42 on The Billboard 200 chart.
—being replaced by former Despised Icon
guitarist Al Glassman, the band recorded demo track
s with producer Jason Suecof
. Vocalist Jonny Davy stated in an interview with Way Too Loud!, that this material differs from the band's first full-length, to have "a bit of an old-school [death metal] touch." Davy also explained when interviewed by MetalSucks
, before the release of the album, that Job for a Cowboy are "in with new influences with the next record", but not going to be a drastic shift in comparison with Genesis
. He also said, "We’re just learning from our mistakes and nit picking everything and evolving as a band."
, but are more politically-based. The topics addressed by the album's schema revolve around modern-day worldwide dilemmas and controversial issues including "propaganda
in the mainstream media
and television, human rights in North Korea
, the modern genocidal government of Nubia
, the use of torture in American military tactics
, consequences of nuclear war, and overruling by world government
s and police state
s/martial law
." Ruination is politically-based, but not a concept album
as its predecessor Genesis.
Production
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Job for a Cowboy
Job for a Cowboy
Job for a Cowboy is a American death metal band from Glendale, Arizona. Formed in 2003, the band's debut album Genesis was released in 2007, peaking at #54 on the US Billboard 200 and selling 13,000 copies in its first week of release. The second album, 2009's Ruination, sold 10,600 copies in...
. The follow-up to their first studio album Genesis
Genesis (Job for a Cowboy album)
Genesis is the debut full-length album by American death metal band Job for a Cowboy. Released on May 15, 2007 through Metal Blade Records, it is their first concept album and is based on possible consequences of the VeriChip, along with the Book of Revelation and apocalyptic theories...
, Ruination was recorded at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
with producer Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof
-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
and was mixed by Fredrik Nordström
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
. It was released July 7, 2009 through Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
. The album sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 42 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Background
Following the departure of guitarist Ravi Bhadriraju, who left Job for a Cowboy to go back to medical schoolMedical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
—being replaced by former Despised Icon
Despised Icon
Despised Icon was a Canadian deathcore band from Montreal, Quebec. Formed in 2002, the band is notable for the use of two vocalists; Alexandre Erian, takes use of a mid-range screaming technique, and Steve Marois for the low growling vocals, and high pitched screamed vocals...
guitarist Al Glassman, the band recorded demo track
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
s with producer Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof
-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
. Vocalist Jonny Davy stated in an interview with Way Too Loud!, that this material differs from the band's first full-length, to have "a bit of an old-school [death metal] touch." Davy also explained when interviewed by MetalSucks
MetalSucks
MetalSucks is a heavy metal music-themed news website. It was founded in December of 2006 by two friends who use the pen names Vince Neilstein and Axl Rosenberg...
, before the release of the album, that Job for a Cowboy are "in with new influences with the next record", but not going to be a drastic shift in comparison with Genesis
Genesis (Job for a Cowboy album)
Genesis is the debut full-length album by American death metal band Job for a Cowboy. Released on May 15, 2007 through Metal Blade Records, it is their first concept album and is based on possible consequences of the VeriChip, along with the Book of Revelation and apocalyptic theories...
. He also said, "We’re just learning from our mistakes and nit picking everything and evolving as a band."
Lyrical themes
According to frontman Jonny Davy, the ideas involved with Ruination branch off from 2007's GenesisGenesis (Job for a Cowboy album)
Genesis is the debut full-length album by American death metal band Job for a Cowboy. Released on May 15, 2007 through Metal Blade Records, it is their first concept album and is based on possible consequences of the VeriChip, along with the Book of Revelation and apocalyptic theories...
, but are more politically-based. The topics addressed by the album's schema revolve around modern-day worldwide dilemmas and controversial issues including "propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
in the mainstream media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and television, human rights in North Korea
Human rights in North Korea
The human rights record of North Korea is extremely hard to fully assess due to the secretive and closed nature of the country. The North Korean government makes it very difficult for foreigners to enter the country and strictly monitors their activities when they do...
, the modern genocidal government of Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
, the use of torture in American military tactics
Torture and the United States
Torture in the United States includes documented and alleged cases of torture both inside the United States and outside its borders by U.S. government personnel...
, consequences of nuclear war, and overruling by world government
World government
World government is the notion of a single common political authority for all of humanity. Its modern conception is rooted in European history, particularly in the philosophy of ancient Greece, in the political formation of the Roman Empire, and in the subsequent struggle between secular authority,...
s and police state
Police state
A police state is one in which the government exercises rigid and repressive controls over the social, economic and political life of the population...
s/martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
." Ruination is politically-based, but not a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
as its predecessor Genesis.
Track listing
Personnel
Job for a Cowboy- Jon Rice – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Brent Riggs – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Bobby Thompson – guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Jonny Davy – lead vocals
- Al Glassman – guitar
Production
- Jason SuecofJason Suecof-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
– production, engineering, mixing - Mark Lewis, Ronnie Miller – assistant engineers
- Alan Douches – mastering
- Brent Elliott White – artwork
- Brian J. Ames – layout design
- Brian SlagelBrian SlagelBrian Slagel is the owner and founder of Metal Blade Records. Slagel is known for giving Metallica their first break in 1982, with an appearance on Metal Massacre, a compilation album on Metal Blade, and has since released seminal albums by Slayer, Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse, Fates Warning,...
– A&R
External links
- Ruination at Metal Blade RecordsMetal Blade RecordsMetal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...