A Wilhelm Scream

Ruiner

[5] Remember mid-’90s punk rock? You know, the stuff with galloping bass drums, perfectly executed vocal harmonies, raging guitar solos that would blow away the resident washed-up hair-metal reject at your local Guitar Center, and an overall impeccable sense of melody fueled by aggression? Now, take five kids who, odds are, own a significant portion of that decade’s Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph back catalogs, and who, instead of trend-riding this “screamo” nonsense, take what raised them as an influence and expound on it tenfold. In short, this shit shreds. Ruiner is A Wilhelm Scream’s definitive statement: 14 tracks of unbridled passion, with self-probing lyrics and musicianship that’s about 30 steps above the rest-plus, there’s no way you’ll find a better song to air-drum to this year than “Me Vs. Morrissey In The Pretentiousness Contest (The Ladder Match).” A lot of these skate-punk relics from years gone by keep slogging it out on the Warped Tour, trying to fight the good fight when they’re far past their expiration date. Gentlemen, you can retire now: You’re leaving the scene in good hands with A Wilhelm Scream. (NITRO) Scott Heisel



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