While the most potent manifestations of Ruins drummer/vocalist/bandleader Tatsuya Yoshida's muse reside outside the confines of this bass and drums configuration (in the form of Japan-only releases by non-Ruins projects Koenjihyakkei, Kakhusen-Joh No Ongaku and Tairikuotoko Vs. Sanmyakuonna), the sheer abundance of Yoshida-related product insures that only the genuinely obsessed will find themselves privy to this knowledge.
Assembled in one five-hour jam session, this recent side project, a tossed off improv blowout between Ruins and lo-fi spazz rock guitarist Ron Anderson of the Molecules (following 1995's Yoshida/Anderson collaboration First Meeting), is sure to arouse the crowd who feel their nipples stiffen at the mention of Melt Banana and Harry Pussy. Personally, I'm a bit underwhelmed. There are several factors contributing to this point of view (thin sound quality; undermixed, improperly e.q.'ed bass frequencies; and a strong sense that instant composition mode is not the Ruins' strongest suit), but chief among these is this salient point: I sorely miss Ryuichi Masuda. A great deal of my deep seated affection for past Ruins releases is inevitably bound up in the sense of Ruins as Magma gone hardcore, which in turn, is inevitably bound up in the corrosively overloaded yet highly controlled fuzz bass artistry deployed by Mssr. Masuda, suggesting Magma's Bernard Paganotti with a mile-wide mean streak. His replacement in the person of grindcore veteran Sasaki Hisashi is simply no match. Capable? Yes. Corrosively overloaded? Most definitely. Highly controlled, artistic and sublime? Not by a long shot. And certainly not Magma-esque.
No Ruins-related disc is entirely without merit. Notable bits here include a multifaceted fireball of jagged dynamics called "Burning Moon", and the tracks "Skindiving in Tokyo Bay" and "Poof!", twin playgrounds for Anderson's extended guitar pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, much of this disc finds them chasing their own tails, lurching, stuttering, chugging and whinnying without ever really taking flight. Interesting but inessential.
(Originally published in Alternative Press #130, p.110; reprinted by
permission)
With the pataphysical zeal of a genuinely possessed Dadaist, drummer and vocalist Tatsuya Yoshida has consistently sought to define his own utterly ludicrous musical agenda through a myriad of projects.
With Ruins, he weds histrionic vocals like Magma's Christian Vander in a tourettic fit to seething hardcore re-interpretations of Udu Wudu-era Magma's motion, dicing up time signatures like a musical hibachi chef on Benzedrine. The peaks of gibbering lunacy Ruins occasionally achieve beggar disbelief, though the inherent limitations of a two man bass, drums and vocal lineup prevent them from ever attaining the life changing force of Yoshida's strongest Magma inspired unit, Koenjihyakkei.
On Refusal Fossil, a collection of unreleased and live tracks, the grotty raw sound quality that pervades here, along with the ferociously spastic nature of the material definitely place this closer to harsher early releases like Stonehenge. Hardly surprising, considering that this release for the majority of its running time features bassist Sasaki Hisashi, a veteran of Japan's grindcore scene; though four tracks also feature Ryuichi Masuda, the virtuoso bassist from essential releases like Burning Stone and Hydromastgroningem, whose huge wailing tone carries all the authority of Magma's Bernard Paganotti. Significantly, he contributes to the peak track here, the dazzling "Heraklion," alone almost worth the price of admission, though "Stara Planina's" demented take on what sounds like Indian pop music is equally dumbfounding. Factor in guests from Omoide Haotoba, Demi Semi Quaver and Tipographica and you've got yourself a definite A-ticket ride.
(Originally published in Alternative Press; reprinted by permission)
Energetic avant-garde rock from Japan, whose martial tone and dramatic vocal arrangements evoke an almost obligatory comparison to Magma. The heavy keyboard playing reminds me of Ars Nova and ELP, but overall, Symphonica is very much an avant-garde Zeuhl album despite its title. Keyboards (synths, organ, mellotron) dominate over a very busy rhythm section, while vocals are sung by a slightly manic male voice and almost operatic (or at least classically inspired) female vocalists. Bands that operate in similar territory as this Ruins album are Bondage Fruit and Hundred Sights Of Koenji. Great album that needed several listens to be fully enjoyed. Note that other albums by Ruins are very different in style: usually a hard edged combination of noise, hardcore and avant-garde progressive rock (especially the complex rhythmic parts).
Ruins - Graviyaunosch (nipp guitar d-03, 1993, CD)
Ruins is a contemporary Japanese band that represents the harsh, aggressive side of Zeuhl music. They are compared equally often with Magma and the hardcore band The Boredomes - that should give you an idea of the kind of crossover they pull off. After a pair of so-so noise-fest albums, Ruins really hit their stride in 1992 with the relentless album "Burning Stone", full to the brim with impossible drumming and zeuhlogies by Tatsuya Yoshida, a note perfect disciple of Christian Vander. The only other member is 5 string bassist Ryuichi Masuda, who manages a wide range of timbres. But the volume of this band would lead you to think this was a five piece - hardly a second is wasted in this kamikaze hurricane.
Having blown a giant wad of catharsis on their previous album, Ruins wisely went for a marginally more subtle approach on this album. The title track, which begins the album, is always driving, but hypnotic and repetitive in a circular sort of way. Musical themes are grounded in Masuda's lead/rhythm work, and Yoshida's voice grumbles and shrieks (in their own fabricated language, no less!) as he works up a subtly nimble revolution on the drums. On the whole, Graviyaunosch lacks the urgency of Burning Stone, but for those who are turned off by hardcore-isms, this album may actually be preferable. The music is more dynamic, the rhythms more complex, and the range of sounds more evocative. But with the possible exception of the title track, none of these songs match the best of Burning Stone.
I recommend Ruins to any Zeuhl fan with a taste for punk, or any punk fan with a taste for prog. One cannot deny the power and complexity of their music, but as is the case with Magma, you either love 'em or you hate 'em. Not for the faint at heart.
(Originally appeared in
Expose issue 7, edited for Gnosis 7/15/01).
