Golden Robot Records
10/10/25
Queensland rock outfit Ruination are preparing to release their second album, Everything Eventually, on October 10, 2025, and HEAVY has been fortunate enough to get an advance listen so we can pass the word on.
Watch The World starts proceedings, kicking into gear with a driving rock track, clearly evident from the opening salvo; guitar, bass and drums coming together with an abrasive tone that smashes from the waist up into a seething pit of anger. This is more of a hard rock tune, but shows enough restraint to stay on a trajectory that enables it to nestle in comfortably with radio rock style songs that many bands strive to write but few actually achieve. It is a statement of sorts – and a damn strong one at that – with a not-so-subtle blending of the harder elements of rock that are a staple diet for all avid listeners.
Downward kicks off with a slightly distorted smattering of guitar interplay before the drums thunder in and elevate the track to another level. Vocalist/guitarist Luke Karolak eases over the top with his vocals, creating an ambient yet insistent sonic landscape that harks back to early Silverchair. The guitars swirl throughout, underpinned by a steady drum pattern that gives structure to an otherwise wandering track of sorts.
Ruination have managed to wear their influences firmly on their sleeves so far without taking pages directly from their handbooks, a feat difficult to do when swimming in a genre full of so much history. A tasty breakdown around the three-minute mark sets Downward off on another tangent, but the song is quickly roped back in, drifting into a chaotic, yet controlled finale as reverb takes us out and into the next track.
Fading Grey offers an early moment of respite, although falling short of stumbling into the ballad category. Instead, it is a measured, more structured song that rises and falls on the back of a flowing guitar riff that controls proceedings. After a controlled opening salvo, Fading Grey finds a touch of urgency for a period before retreating back into itself and returning the sense of sorrow that acts as an undercurrent. It is a well-balanced and pleasant track that is highlighted by some more urgent passages that would throw this one into the mix of potential radio songs.
Karolak adds a spicy guitar solo three parts through the song, soaring and punishing for just long enough to instil a sense of prolonged suffering into the mix that is perfectly harnessed by his vocals as they return to sweep a tide of restrained longing that lingers until the final note, leaving you unsure if it is a love song or a song birthed by rage but given life via calmer waters.
Well done, boys.
Losing Insight begins with a chunky as fuck guitar riff that eases off slightly as the rest of Ruination enter the fray and restore some semblance of conformity. So much so that things slow almost to a crawl briefly as Karolak lays down some purposeful vocals that are crying out for a more urgent delivery. Which they get in patches as the tempo of Losing Insight jumps from slow and sombre to fast-paced and aggressive with seamless musical transitions that allow for moments of foreboding darkness to be woven through a tapestry of mischievous intent.
This song shows a high degree of understanding from Ruination, seemingly telling the story from differing viewpoints and understandings. A tasty guitar solo from Karolak ups the tempo once more, and when his vocals return they do so with heightened venom and spite. Very cool track.
Mistaken starts with a soft, whimsical piece of guitar that has all the hallmarks of a ballad. And we all know how much I love one or two of those in a rock album… It has an almost haunting sense of menace running through its veins, which is accentuated by a measured guitar loop that controls the tempo and impact of the song. It quickens a touch in variable increments, but all in all serves the purpose that is the modern rock ballad, although it hasn’t managed to change my opinion on them. Which, at the end of the day, is just that. My opinion.
Ballads obviously have their place – and this one hasn’t left me reeling – and in that respect Mistaken has achieved what it set out to. It does gather in intensity towards the back third – and the fact I was listening for that long proves that it isn’t too bad a number!
Wetworx has an ambiguous title, so I guess we shall wait to hear before passing judgment, and it passes the initial test with a wicked guitar intro that has punk undertones mixed with hard rock apathy. This is an up-tempo and nasty song full of angst and rebelliousness that showcases but one more side of Ruination‘s musical journey. These guys are unafraid to tap into a plethora of styles and influences, and are so much better for it.
Dare To Tread sounds menacing from the title alone, and Ruination follow suit with a bottom-end heavy bass run from Brady Weber setting the tone for a well-paced tune that showcases the hard rock side of Ruination‘s musical psyche. A swirling guitar lick dominates proceedings, but it is Karolak‘s vocal delivery full of spite that sets this one off. He adds a huskiness and depth to his voice on this track that, while a pleasant surprise, is also used more for effect thus far on the album rather than being overused and therefore more part of the furniture.
Musically, Ruination wander off in many tangents within the rock, grunge and hard rock sphere on this album, but do so with enough of their own DNA sprinkled through the core to elevate their music into a class of its own.
Outspoken jumps out of the blocks on the back of another chunky guitar intro that forces Webber and drummer Josh Brooks to follow suit. Which they do with aplomb, continuing the descent into rock drenched debauchery that gave birth to this track. It’s definitely on the harder edge of rock, with Brooks pounding his kit as though it stole his lunch money, laying the platform for an energetic and driving number that punches from start to finish. It’s one of those short, sharp and dangerous songs that you can’t help but love, smashing you in the chest for around three minutes before leaving you restless and hungry for more.
Crawl could be any number of things based on the title, but what we get is a down-tuned intro that rushes over you in waves of remorse. It almost has the feel of impending battle, which is accentuated when the guitars breathe menace into proceedings and bring forth a wall of attitude that is begging to be set free. Karolak adjusts his voice to suit, offering a sense of vulnerability woven through a tapestry of hostility and restrained anger that falls like a blanket over the whole song.
Ruination blend grunge with hard rock sensibilities to great effect on this track, combining the two forces into a menacing sonic ball that offers little in the way of hope. Which is just what every album needs. Less hope and more anger!
Safety In Numbers is an obvious statement, and as soon as the throbbing bass line introduces the track it is quite obvious Ruination have all the musical safety they need. As in, they don’t seem to have any desire to play it safe.
This is a swirling mass of guitar and bass kept on course by a sombre vocal delivery that rises and falls depending on the urgency of the situation. It is a good vehicle for Korolak‘s vocal capabilities, switching between the mesmerising effects of grunge to the elevated highs of urgency that punctuate a more rock-fuelled palate. This is a well-balanced number that pretty much sums up everything that is Ruination in one track – while still only offering a glimpse into their musical intent.
Above All Else starts with a fuzzy guitar riff that leads into a slower, more deliberate drum pattern, which suggests a more tempered body of work. It’s almost stoner rock-ish for a patch, but quickly settles into more of a well-mannered and soothing soft rock track that I am guessing will be aimed at radio at some stage – if it hasn’t already. It’s the staple accessible-for-everyone album track that is the norm in the modern age and has enough going for it by way of chunky guitars and vocals sung without an overwhelming sense of sorrow to allow me to listen through to the end. Not normally my favourite part of an album, but this is better than most.
Overall, Ruination have delivered an album befitting their growing stature as a band. Full of throwbacks to the past but spearheaded by a fresh, modern take on music, Everything Eventually is the perfect embodiment of a band on the verge of finding its musical identity.
Which means the next one should be an absolute banger! Pre-order/save HERE
