Band:	Necare
Album:	Ruin
Style:	Death doom metal
Release date:	April 15, 2004
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Stillborn Twilight
02. Rite Of Shrouds
03. Desire (The Dawn And The Chrysalis)
04. Canto Xxxiv
05. Ruin
06. Celia
07. Gethsemane
08. Waters Of Quiet
09. Touching Eternity

Firebox Records did it again, they signed an obscure Doom Metal band out of nowhere and turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the year, first Chileans Mar De Grises, and now, hailing from The United States, Necare. Both great bands, hailing from non-European countries, the lesson? Not all bands worth listening come from Europe.

The subject of the review is Necare debut album on Firebox Records, "Ruin". Necare is a Latin verb for "to kill, destroy, murder", lyrically, the album is inspired in the loss that death bring to the living, and the failure of humanity and religion to explain the inevitability of tragedy and despair.

The album starts with a sorrowful intro, "Stillborn Twilight", a calm guitar accompanied by a wailing violin, this track sets the mood perfectly for "Rite Of Shrouds" , a perfectly executed song, totally flawless when it comes in terms with the sadness that resides deep within each musical note.

All through the album you can listen influences of many bands, principally the "3 great ones of English Doom", Anathema, My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. Songs like the thirteen minutes "Celia" and the nine minutes "Desire (The Dawn & The Chrysalis)" will make your skin shiver with passion and grief.

Maybe the greatest part of the band, is that is only a two piece band! The rest of the band are gathered session musicians, with this I might guess that these 2 guys (R.H. and G.C.) undestrand well each other, because the compositions are almost flawless, each song has enough breaks to keep it interesting, and each track often changes mood, from a pounding and crushing guitar to a wah-wah guitar solo.

An obscure project from 2 Americans that once again demonstrates that USA has a lot to offer in terms of interesting musical projects.
Any fan of Doom Metal should check this one out, a truly wonderful release, and excellent addition to any Metalhead collection, and please don't forget to appreciate well the beautiful artwork that graces it's cover.