Ruination is the second studio album by American death metal band Job for a Cowboy. The follow-up to their first studio album Genesis, Ruination was recorded and mixed at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof. It was released July 7, 2009, through Metal Blade Records.[5] The album sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 42 on The Billboard 200 chart.[6] It was the group's first album to feature drummer Jon Rice and guitarist Davis Stine and the last to feature guitarist Bobby Thompson, guitarist Ravi Bhadriraju and bassist Brent Riggs.

Ruination
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 7, 2009
RecordedAudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida
GenreDeath metal
Length40:31
LabelMetal Blade
ProducerJason Suecof
Job for a Cowboy chronology
Genesis
(2007)
Ruination
(2009)
Live Ruination
(2010)
Singles from Ruination
  1. "Unfurling a Darkened Gospel"
    Released: June 16, 2009
  2. "Ruination"
    Released: April 26, 2010
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[1]
AllMusic[2]
Alternative Press[3]
Blabbermouth[4]

Background

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Following the departure of guitarist Ravi Bhadriraju, who left Job for a Cowboy to go back to medical school—being replaced by former Despised Icon guitarist Al Glassman, the band recorded demo tracks with producer Jason Suecof. Vocalist Jonny Davy stated in an interview with Way Too Loud!, that this material differs from the band's first full-length, to have "a bit of an old-school [death metal] touch."[7] Davy also explained when interviewed by MetalSucks, before the release of the album, that Job for a Cowboy are "in with new influences with the next record", but not going to be a drastic shift in comparison with Genesis. He also said, "We’re just learning from our mistakes and nit picking everything and evolving as a band."[8]

Lyrical themes

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According to frontman Jonny Davy, the ideas involved with Ruination branch off from 2007's Genesis, but are more politically based.[5] The topics addressed by the album's schema revolve around modern-day worldwide dilemmas and controversial issues including "propaganda in the mainstream media and television, human rights in North Korea, the modern genocidal government of Nubia [sic], the use of torture in American military tactics, consequences of nuclear war, and overruling by world governments and police states/martial law."[5] Ruination is politically based, but not a concept album as its predecessor Genesis.[8]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Job for a Cowboy

No.TitleLength
1."Unfurling a Darkened Gospel"3:43
2."Summon the Hounds"3:51
3."Constitutional Masturbation"3:35
4."Regurgitated Disinformation"4:46
5."March to Global Enslavement"6:05
6."Butchering the Enlightened"3:30
7."Lords of Chaos"3:36
8."Psychological Immorality"3:08
9."To Detonate and Exterminate"3:22
10."Ruination"4:55
Total length:40:31
iTunes edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."The Matter of Splatter" (Exhumed cover)3:43
Total length:44:16

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ Chad Bowar. Ruination. About.com. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  2. ^ Phil Freeman. Ruination review. Allmusic. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  3. ^ Ruination review. Alternative Press. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  4. ^ Ryan Ogle. Ruination Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c "Job for a Cowboy: New Album Artwork Unveiled". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. May 21, 2009. Archived from the original on September 12, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
  6. ^ "Job for a Cowboy's 'Ruination' Lands On Billboard Chart". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. July 15, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  7. ^ "Interview with Jonny Davy". Way Too Loud!. Xtremely Media. December 13, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
  8. ^ a b O'Hagar, Sammy (January 7, 2009). "Interview with Jonny Davy". MetalSucks. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
  9. ^ Ruination credits. Allmusic.
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