Alone

Recording information: Magaibustu Studio.Utterly unhinged, manic, and crazed, Tatsuya Yoshida doesn't need a duo partner to create one of the wildest -- and most diverse -- albums ever to carry the Ruins name. Herky-jerky Meshuggah-esque metal on steroids, shouted and howled vocals, synth-phasers set on stun -- it's all here in 23 tracks ranging in length from less than a minute to a bit less than four, with Tatsuya sampling a universe of instrumental voicings and not merely flailing away on drums. Some of these tunes are nothing less than mini-avant-prog epics, and Tatsuya even harmonizes nicely with himself on "Sanctuary," opting for over the top vocal histrionics on "Glaschzenck," which begins with Philip Glass-like ostinatos but doesn't stay minimalistic for long. Tuned gongs and arpeggiated classical guitars (!) begin "Ahftsivepha," which swiftly introduces astringent Univers Zero-ish medieval harmonics and timbres, but with mile-a-minute changes more akin to the impossible densit