Evolution drives longevity. WITHIN THE RUINS relentlessly pushes forward, incinerating complacency and innovating from its ashes. The Western Massachusetts quartet — Joe Cocchi (guitar), Kevin McGuill (drums), Paolo Galang (bass, clean vocals), and Steve Tinnon (lead vocals) — razes convention with polyrhythmic bludgeoning, head-nodding grooves, evocative vocals, and vivid storytelling. Their controlled chaos has resulted in tens of millions of streams, packed houses on tour, and widespread acclaim from outlets like Alternative Press, American Songwriter, Loudwire, and Metal Injection.

Now, they continue to evolve on their seventh full-length offering, Phenomena II. “We always try to present something you haven’t heard before—and you aren’t going to get anywhere else,” notes Cocchi.

Since forming in 2003, Cocchi and McGuill have built a devout fan base with albums like Creature (2009), Invade (2010), and Elite (2013), leading to the fan favorite, Phenomena (2014), which featured hits like “Gods Amongst Men” and “Enigma.” After welcoming Steve Tinnon and releasing Black Heart in 2020, the band garnered critical acclaim, with American Songwriter praising how they “take deathcore to a new level.”

With the decade anniversary of Phenomena approaching, the band decided to create Phenomena II. Cocchi recalls, “We wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Phenomena. The styles aligned in terms of unique guitar effects and themes, with each track telling a story from a comic book character’s point-of-view.”

The first single, “Castle In The Sky,” features ominous orchestration, Tinnon’s growl, gunshots, wailing sirens, and a haunting choir, with pummeling guitars and a precise solo. “It has everything people want to hear from us,” says Cocchi. “Lyrically, it’s based on The Punisher’s central struggle, ‘Would he rather be alive or reunite with his family in the castle in the sky?’”