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In an ever-growing scene of monotony and genre-specific copycats, it's nice to find a band every once in a while that stands out from the crowd. In Ruin, a five-piece act from the small town of West Chester, Pennsylvania, is one of those bands. Having played a number of shows throughout the greater Philadelphia area over the past four years (they were formerly known as Your Requiem, and before that, Army of Anubis), In Ruin has shared the stage with several national acts and has done quite a lot to make a name for themselves within the local scene. "We just want to write music, play shows, and have as much fun as we can," says guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter Randy Slaugh. He and his brother, Eric, along with guitarist and keyboardist Jonathan Allred have been playing music together ever since they were little, and have collaborated with bassist Keigo Shimomura and drummer Ryan Zawicki to create a unique and powerful sound of their own.

In Ruin's music is hard to classify. If anything, the band is versatile and original. They are most well-known for their atmospheric synths, epic choruses, and crushing guitars (sometimes as far down tuned as drop-f) not to mention the diverse vocal abilities of front man Eric Slaugh, switching from melodic singing to high pitched screams and deep growls. The band draws their influences from groups like The Devil Wears Prada, The Acacia Strain, Misery Signals and The Dillinger Escape Plan as well as from their personal lives and experiences. They are currently working on their upcoming full-length album entitled "This Is Not Our War" which showcases the band at its best. Be sure to grab yourself a copy August 14th, and if you can make it out to one of their shows, you will definitely be in for a surprise.