Artist: Ruffians
Label: Metal Heaven
Released: 2006
Ruffians were a seriously promising band back in the distant eighties, helping drive the new wave of the American heavy metal scene, which differed from the British one mainly in having less anthemic quality and epic bombast. The Americans made up for it with even faster playing of chosen riffs, picking over the top of them, and of course sonic soloing. At the same time they always leaned toward a rawer, more garage-style production sound, to which they added a much bigger dose of semitone-bent elements. That was typical of early Fates Warning, Queensryche and early Savatage (the Avatar days and especially the Power Of The Night record), not to mention the heap of bands that popped up on the horizon of the American wave back then, from Liege Lord and Helstar to Testament and of course Vicious Rumors. Some of them got more and more aggressive over the course of their records and put less and less melody into their primal sound, others were increasingly labeled progressive, and some stayed fossilized “speed” metal all the way through (Helstar, Vicious Rumors). Ruffians’ self-titled debut, which came out in 1985, can easily be filed under that last group.
Four years later the band fell apart for another 15 years, and only got back together in 2004. After the incredible response and the all-round support from the masses, Ruffians decided to record a new album. And? The Song Remains The Same! Plain and simple! This is the old school speed variety of metal. Where the train stopped for Ruffians in 1989, it rolls on in 2006 with “Desert Of Tears”. The album is totally out of fashion and feels like a resurrected dinosaur that calmly slept through its seventy million years and, when it woke up, didn’t even notice that anything much had changed in its natural habitat! Probably a mutant dinosaur, with a special kind of inborn dioptre problem, most likely adapted to living in caves. Britain’s Saracen are a similar phenomenon in that respect today.
Rich Wilde, who replaced the excellent Carl Albert back in the eighties, still mostly sings with a clean, melodic approach today. It’s silly to compare his vocals with the late Albert. Of course he doesn’t reach that level. Rich’s voice leans raspy toward old Jon Oliva (Savatage), only fleetingly and only at moments, but enough that you can’t miss it, and you can also find some related touches in his singing with Aftershock vocalist Vice Hixom. The vocals are authoritatively aggressive and bring just the right amount of rebellious, adrenaline-fueled rush to the new record. The power has been kept at an enviable level! Even after 17 years! The work of both guitars is of course the main carrier of the band’s expression and sound in the new millennium too. Piercing riffs, raw production, classic guitar-solo duels, bold three-part harmonies that bring witty playfulness and joie de vivre to the songs. All the attributes of a metal eruption from the early eighties. Played uncompromisingly, hitting you right on the first strike!
The reawakened Ruffians were hit by another shock in July 2006! Longtime bassist Dan Moura, who suddenly passed away at that time, was replaced in the band by Tommy Sisco, an experienced alternative pick for the Ruffians ranks, who had previously cut his teeth in Villain, Vicious Rumors and Luvplanet. As a new member of the crew, Sisco contributed all the bass playing on “Desert Of Tears”.
Fans of the “eighties” American wave of metal will happily “headbang” to songs like I Believe, the title track Desert Of Tears, the breakneck Darkest Of Light and the closing Freedom. The album feels consistent. Even in the half-acoustic It Ain’t Over! And yet Ruffians don’t manage to conjure up the thunder that would smack you between the eyes the first time you spin the record. It’s simply not the eighties anymore, and the standards today are set much higher. Standards for reaching a high-flying atmosphere, melodic bombast, standards for choruses that grab your ear and stay in it for a good while. “Desert Of Tears” is a smooth-flowing album and the songs on it are equal in quality. An album that will appeal strictly to diehards of the ossified American eighties school and everyone who likes things raw, direct and simple, but at the same time seasoned with enough melody. In short, a very decent “come back” album from another era, by a band from another era, which in itself makes a solid starting point for building up with its successor! Welcome back Ruffians, and welcome to everyone else who’ll be spinning “Desert Of Tears”! Welcome back once more to the days of the distant past!
Lineup
Rich Wilde – vocals
Chris Atchison – guitar
Craig Behrhorst – guitar
Tommy Sisco – bass
Luke Bowman – drums
Track list
1. I Believe
2. Running Blind
3. Day Of The Champion
4. I Will Fly
5. Desert Of Tears
6. Darkest Of Light
7. It Ain´t Over
8. Live By The Sword
9. Chosen One
10. Soldiers Fate
11. Freedom
Album length: 45:56
