Scream/Ruin
(From The Depths Entertainment)
Genre: Metal.
Interviewed on: 4/24/11
From: Loudon County, VA
http://www.facebook.com/screamruin
1. How did the band come together and form? What's the story behind the name Scream/Ruin?
The band’s history is incredibly detailed, full of great successes and massive catastrophes. My brother and I started this band about a decade ago with the purpose of completing one unified, solid goal: To publicly vocalize what we had in our hearts…at any cost. Times were different then. A lot of us were going through dark chapters in our lives and those aspects came through in our music, live performances, and lyrical content. Honesty and transparency has always been important to us. Our individual beliefs aside, no one in this band will project an image that doesn’t remain true to who they are at said point in time. What you see is what you get. Over the years we’ve had a revolving door when it comes to band members, leaving Kyle and I the only original members in the current line up. That being said, in my opinion, Scream/Ruin has never sounded better than with the group of guys we have with us right now.
The story behind the band name is rather interesting. It came about while driving through Gonzales, Louisiana where my brother and I had a head on collision with a local. The guy swerved into our lane driving an old pick up truck with a dead deer and bunch of caged raccoons in the truck bed. Immediately, the guy jumped out his car, darted into some nearby woods while screaming at the top of his lungs, “You ruined my supper!” He completely abandoned the scene, leaving us in a state of delirium and unbelief. We never heard from or saw that guy again. It was the most bizarre thing ever. Needless to say, that experience left quite an impression. Not long after, we decided to call ourselves Scream/Ruin, purely inspired by that guy’s verbal reaction and yelling antics.
2. You guys have been together since 2008, how has the response been to shows outside of VA?
The band actually started back in 2001, and after a two year hiatus, we reformed in 2008 with the current line up. Kyle and I are both in different places then where we were when the band first started, both personally and musically. We have different goals this time around. Since reforming, I believe our audiences, both locally and out of state recognize this. For the most part, our shows outside of Virginia have been well received. We hope to continue playing for crowds that might not be too familiar with us and gain more fans.
3. You released a DVD, could you tell us more about that?
Considering that we hadn’t put out any music since 2006, we wanted our “comeback” effort to be the best material we could offer at that time, including the artwork and packaging. We really wanted to go all out. When this was going on, no other local bands in our community were doing what we were doing when it came to live performances. We wanted to keep that innovative mentality when it came time to record and release the next album. We decided to make the next release a 2 disc package; a full-length album accompanied by a professionally filmed live DVD. The DVD footage was shot at a venue in Fairfax, Virginia in March 2010. It features some material from our previous albums and early versions of some of the songs that made it onto the “Restored” album.
4. Have you written any new material?
We have a few new songs written that we will debut on our upcoming tour with Never To Be Silenced in July. We are experimenting with different tunings and incorporating more clean singing. We are moving away from the thrash/speed metal elements that can be found on “Restored”. Instead, we’re turning our focus towards the more melodic aspects of our songs and concentrating on our overall musicianship.
5. What are some fond show memories you have? What song is the crowd favorite?
There have been so many memories, it would be impossible to narrow them down. I could speak on all the times I’ve broken bones while performing, watching the crowd singing every word to their favorite Scream/Ruin song, rioting audiences resulting in the band’s banishment from two venues, being asked for an autograph, or being continually humbled by our fans who often travel great distances to watch us perform. There are just so many. Now, whether or not all of those would be categorized as “fond” is entirely subjective. Nevertheless, every show is memorable and we are thankful for just being able to perform.
We always get a great crowd response from “Unsound”. It’s one of our personal favorites as well. “1000 Steps Backwards” from 2005’s “Blood.Prayer.Coma” has always put the crowd in motion too.
6. How did the design work for your logos come about?
We call it the “Knot Logo”. I created it using four letter R’s, and intertwined them together into a Celtic knot type of shape. We bring a fairly unique musical approach to the hardcore/metal genre, and as such, we wanted the representative logo for band to be as equally unique. I feel we have conveyed that.
7. What is something you want the audience leaving with after witnessing a Scream/Ruin live show?
It’s important for us to let the audience know that we are more than just a band out here for kicks. If that were the case, it would be extremely irresponsible considering some of us have wives, children, and full time jobs. With that in mind, we are out here anyway, moving forward with a specific purpose.
Aside from our own light show, props, sound effects and the entire crazy circus we bring with us to every show, it’s our overall mission to form relationships with people before and after shows in various communities, in order to be an influence and a tool used for positive change. We as individuals are an open book. We strive to be honest and open with others about our lives, struggles, failures, mistakes and victories. We aim to be a light in a scene full of darkness.
8. What are some of your influences?
Everyone in this band comes from a different musical background. It’s one of the reasons why our songs seem to incorporate so many different genres and sounds. It’s like a huge melting pot of culture and inspiration. I was once asked to describe our sound and the only way I could explain it was by saying “If an 80’s Bay Area Thrash band traveled to Alabama to go to a Post-Hardcore show and then flew directly to Gothenburg to watch the 1984 film, ‘The Never Ending Story’…you’d have something close.” Bottom line, we draw inspiration from a wide variety of artists. Rock, Country, Metal, Pop, Hip Hop, it’s all relative and we all take something from what we listen to. It’s what makes us well rounded.
9. What's next for Scream/Ruin?
We plan on writing new material for the upcoming tour in July. After that we hope to keep touring and eventually get into a studio and cut a new album. We hope we are fortunate enough to have the cycle repeat itself for a long time to come.
(From The Depths Entertainment)
Genre: Metal.
Interviewed on: 4/24/11
From: Loudon County, VA
http://www.facebook.com/screamruin
1. How did the band come together and form? What's the story behind the name Scream/Ruin?
The band’s history is incredibly detailed, full of great successes and massive catastrophes. My brother and I started this band about a decade ago with the purpose of completing one unified, solid goal: To publicly vocalize what we had in our hearts…at any cost. Times were different then. A lot of us were going through dark chapters in our lives and those aspects came through in our music, live performances, and lyrical content. Honesty and transparency has always been important to us. Our individual beliefs aside, no one in this band will project an image that doesn’t remain true to who they are at said point in time. What you see is what you get. Over the years we’ve had a revolving door when it comes to band members, leaving Kyle and I the only original members in the current line up. That being said, in my opinion, Scream/Ruin has never sounded better than with the group of guys we have with us right now.
The story behind the band name is rather interesting. It came about while driving through Gonzales, Louisiana where my brother and I had a head on collision with a local. The guy swerved into our lane driving an old pick up truck with a dead deer and bunch of caged raccoons in the truck bed. Immediately, the guy jumped out his car, darted into some nearby woods while screaming at the top of his lungs, “You ruined my supper!” He completely abandoned the scene, leaving us in a state of delirium and unbelief. We never heard from or saw that guy again. It was the most bizarre thing ever. Needless to say, that experience left quite an impression. Not long after, we decided to call ourselves Scream/Ruin, purely inspired by that guy’s verbal reaction and yelling antics.
2. You guys have been together since 2008, how has the response been to shows outside of VA?
The band actually started back in 2001, and after a two year hiatus, we reformed in 2008 with the current line up. Kyle and I are both in different places then where we were when the band first started, both personally and musically. We have different goals this time around. Since reforming, I believe our audiences, both locally and out of state recognize this. For the most part, our shows outside of Virginia have been well received. We hope to continue playing for crowds that might not be too familiar with us and gain more fans.
3. You released a DVD, could you tell us more about that?
Considering that we hadn’t put out any music since 2006, we wanted our “comeback” effort to be the best material we could offer at that time, including the artwork and packaging. We really wanted to go all out. When this was going on, no other local bands in our community were doing what we were doing when it came to live performances. We wanted to keep that innovative mentality when it came time to record and release the next album. We decided to make the next release a 2 disc package; a full-length album accompanied by a professionally filmed live DVD. The DVD footage was shot at a venue in Fairfax, Virginia in March 2010. It features some material from our previous albums and early versions of some of the songs that made it onto the “Restored” album.
4. Have you written any new material?
We have a few new songs written that we will debut on our upcoming tour with Never To Be Silenced in July. We are experimenting with different tunings and incorporating more clean singing. We are moving away from the thrash/speed metal elements that can be found on “Restored”. Instead, we’re turning our focus towards the more melodic aspects of our songs and concentrating on our overall musicianship.
5. What are some fond show memories you have? What song is the crowd favorite?
There have been so many memories, it would be impossible to narrow them down. I could speak on all the times I’ve broken bones while performing, watching the crowd singing every word to their favorite Scream/Ruin song, rioting audiences resulting in the band’s banishment from two venues, being asked for an autograph, or being continually humbled by our fans who often travel great distances to watch us perform. There are just so many. Now, whether or not all of those would be categorized as “fond” is entirely subjective. Nevertheless, every show is memorable and we are thankful for just being able to perform.
We always get a great crowd response from “Unsound”. It’s one of our personal favorites as well. “1000 Steps Backwards” from 2005’s “Blood.Prayer.Coma” has always put the crowd in motion too.
6. How did the design work for your logos come about?
We call it the “Knot Logo”. I created it using four letter R’s, and intertwined them together into a Celtic knot type of shape. We bring a fairly unique musical approach to the hardcore/metal genre, and as such, we wanted the representative logo for band to be as equally unique. I feel we have conveyed that.
7. What is something you want the audience leaving with after witnessing a Scream/Ruin live show?
It’s important for us to let the audience know that we are more than just a band out here for kicks. If that were the case, it would be extremely irresponsible considering some of us have wives, children, and full time jobs. With that in mind, we are out here anyway, moving forward with a specific purpose.
Aside from our own light show, props, sound effects and the entire crazy circus we bring with us to every show, it’s our overall mission to form relationships with people before and after shows in various communities, in order to be an influence and a tool used for positive change. We as individuals are an open book. We strive to be honest and open with others about our lives, struggles, failures, mistakes and victories. We aim to be a light in a scene full of darkness.
8. What are some of your influences?
Everyone in this band comes from a different musical background. It’s one of the reasons why our songs seem to incorporate so many different genres and sounds. It’s like a huge melting pot of culture and inspiration. I was once asked to describe our sound and the only way I could explain it was by saying “If an 80’s Bay Area Thrash band traveled to Alabama to go to a Post-Hardcore show and then flew directly to Gothenburg to watch the 1984 film, ‘The Never Ending Story’…you’d have something close.” Bottom line, we draw inspiration from a wide variety of artists. Rock, Country, Metal, Pop, Hip Hop, it’s all relative and we all take something from what we listen to. It’s what makes us well rounded.
9. What's next for Scream/Ruin?
We plan on writing new material for the upcoming tour in July. After that we hope to keep touring and eventually get into a studio and cut a new album. We hope we are fortunate enough to have the cycle repeat itself for a long time to come.
