Interview with RUINA

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

Dad used to play his tapes when I would be in the car on long journeys. Listening to the classics like your Def Leppards and AC/DCs etc etc. Eventually we spotted Maiden’s jet at an airport on the way back from a holiday, after spotting a giant Eddie on the tail. So Dad showed me the Number of the Beast… the rest is history!

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I’m a special needs teacher, so I find a lot of fulfilment with that, however I do spend a lot of my creative time making art for bands and for RUINA. It’s super fun and proud to have commissioned work for some amazing upcoming bands. I’m always on the clock when it comes to creativity, I’m constantly coming up with new ideas and the best of that you’ll hear on our new record.

How long has your band been around?

RUINA’s been around since the back end of 2019. Most of our life has been in the pandemic, but we’ve come out the other side with a new lineup, stronger and heavier.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

We’re all living in the South West of the UK, but I feel it hasn’t affected how I write. We musically do what we want, wherever we want.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

I would say something really deep and meaningful… but we nicked it from a Bleed From Within song. Great band, check them out!

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

Our debut show back in early 2020 was headlining the metal stage at Face Down in London, and the sheer energy from that room gave me the confidence to take this further. However, our best show to date was in Bristol in June. Sold out, packed to the brim with old and new faces, celebrating the new lineup of the band and the release of the first single from the new record called THE TRUTH.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already? 

We’ve played our fair share of shows, but the gem that is The Gryphon in Bristol champions every genre of Metal under the sun. We were blessed with a great crowd and great hospitality from the folks that run it.

If you could play any show with any line-up, who would be on the ticket?

We brand ourselves as Modern Metal, so it would only seem fitting to be on the same line-up as bands like Orbit Culture, In Flames and Bleed From Within. Again, check them all out ASAP.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Try not to worry about what’s cool right now, don’t take yourself too seriously, get as much music out there as possible, but most importantly, have a shitload of fun.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Do not under any circumstances drink strong dark beers before you play your set.

A. You’ll sound like shit

B. You won’t remember a single fucking good thing the next day

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Our song WAVEBREAKER represents our own mental state and how we can find strength to empower ourselves when shit is at its darkest. Break through the waves and relieve yourself of the invisible disease that is our mental health issues.

 Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Favourite to play live would be our track ASH & FIRE from our upcoming EP. It’s got riffs for days, fast as fuck and the chorus is an earworm you don’t want to get rid of.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

The creative process has always happened in my own head. It’s been that way since the start of the band back in 2019. Being able to play all the instruments as a songwriter has been very useful. Saying that, we now have some amazing musicians and songwriters in our ranks that will definitely spark a fire for our future releases.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

You’re not alone in this and it’s okay to feel the way you do. We want people to listen to our music and feel good about themselves, as they deserve to.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

We’re a good team us lot! It’s a democracy and we move forward with the best interest of the band and its natural progression. Although our bassist does listen to some absolute shite.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

Right now we’re focusing on this release and the shows still to come in 2022. We’re insanely proud of this EP and believe it is the sound RUINA was always meant to be. As for the future, we’ll probably end up going for an album. Until then, our EP ‘AS THE SKY BEGINS TO BREAK’ will be out everywhere September 30th.