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Ruthless: Evil Within
Ruthless - Evil Within Music Review

Ruthless: Evil Within

Heavy Metal
4.0/5.0

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Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 08.05.2019 | Released: 03.05.2019

Some 20 years from their only long player and 15 years from their original demise, California's Ruthless resurrected to a second life with 2015's They Rise, a solid album of keep it true heavy metal. At that time, in my review, I concluded by saying I hoped we didn't have to wait another 20 years for another album. Nope, only four years. Ruthless returns with their long-awaited third long player, Evil Within. Joining founding members guitarist Ken McGee and singer Sammy DeJohn are new players Sandy Vasquez on bass, Chris Westfall on guitar, and Joe Aghassi on the skins.

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Ruthless

Once again, Ruthless offers you their American version of classic heavy metal rooted in the grand tradition of the New Wave British Heavy Metal. The best elements of the genre are not spared: twin guitar harmony rising to terrific leads, a rhythm section to offer both speed and rock groove, and Sammy DeJohn's classic metal vocal range. Most songs twist in pacing, sometimes heavy and steady, then bristling with staccato speed. Often the pace hastens with the guitar solos, which are abundant.

Mentioning a few songs, you will hear some of that fine guitar harmony to lead Fear Never Sleeps, an otherwise heavy and foreboding tune with gang vocals. Yet at the midpoint the song breaks down to mellowness and a lingering guitar solo. The drums tear up the beginning of Evil Within before dropping into some power metal swiftness. Yet pure power metal comes with Atrocities and the closing song, Cryptic Ruins, where both songs gallop with speed from start to finish. All in all, Ruthless' Evil Within is another fine album of traditional, keep it true, heavy metal from these timeless veterans. Recommended.


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The Bottom Line

All in all, Ruthless' Evil Within is another fine album of traditional, keep it true, heavy metal from these timeless veterans. Recommended.

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