Released in 2005, "Ruiner" is perhaps the best album by A Wilhelm Scream, even if it doesn't bring any novelty to the band's style. The recipe remains the same: melody contrasted with speed and deadly tempo changes, songs with structures decidedly complicated for their genre, and above all, a lot of technique.
Right from the opener, one can see how unpredictable the band is: "The King Is Dead" begins with a raw yet melodic arpeggio and then takes off at full speed with sudden and frantic rhythm changes. The album doesn't lose its impact for even a moment, not even in the more tranquil tracks like "In Vino Veritas II," the only ballad on the album. Standout tracks on this CD are hard to pinpoint, everything flows seamlessly, each piece has a specific characteristic that sets it apart from the others. "God Loves A Liar" has a very fast and more captivating drum beat than other tracks on the album, "Cancer Dream" features a sharp riff and abrupt tempo changes second only to those in the opener, while "The Soft Sell" is distinguished by a particularly well-crafted bass line that lays a great foundation for a rather technical and original riff. I could continue until listing all 14 tracks.
The crux is that this is an album to listen to, in defiance of anyone who says that melodic hardcore is a poor genre.