NECRYTIS is a band that is the brainchild of drummer and lyricist Shane Wacaster, and features the superb fretboard skills of ONWARD guitarist Toby Knapp. "Dread En Ruin" is the band's second effort, and the follow up to 2017's "Countersigns", both on Pure Steel Records. Releasing on June 29^th, "Dread En Ruin" features six tracks and clocks in at just under 50 minutes. The name NECRYTIS seems a bit deceiving. I was truly expecting music completely different than what this release actually contains. NECRYTIS is far from a Death/Black Metal ensemble. Rather, the band is Traditional Power Metal, and cites influences ranging from FATES WARNING, QUEENSRYCHE, early DEF LEPPARD and even JETHRO TULL. I would even suggest the theatrics of MEATLOAF/Jim Steinman.

The album opens with "Starshine" and it's indeed reminiscent of most of those cited influences. A straight forward rocker, easily my favorite track on the album, and easy to see why it's the first single. The second song, "Necrytis" takes a completely different direction. Opening with a weird, almost carnival barker-like and vocally drawn out, "It's Necrytis!" The main body of the song takes off on a nearly Thrash-like tempo before slowing down at the mid-point. Knapp's solo here is just stunning and beautiful, but almost immediately I felt like the solo didn't fit the song. Before I could consider it further, the song takes off again with the fast tempo, then straight into another fabulous solo from Knapp. The song finally winds down with just great lead fills thrown in perfectly here, there and everywhere.  The song's lyrics frustrated me though. The lyrics seem a second thought here. Cheesy and easy rhymes.

Next up, "Blood In The Well" takes off with a solo that could be related to that first solo in "Necrytis", and then again quickly builds the pace into another straight forward rocker similar to the albums first track. Unlike the previous track, the lyrics here fit well and seemed like some time was put into them. A great track, and my second favorite. "Call Us Insanity" continues in a similar theme with some impressive tempo keeping from Wacaster. The drums throughout the album, and the musicianship as a whole for that matter, are impeccable. Knapp and Wacaster are obviously well versed in their abilities, and it definitely shows. "Dread En Ruin" closes with the album's epic "Heresiarch Profane" which clocks in at 13:14 minutes.

Overall, an impressive album. When listening to the album on earbuds, I was disappointed in the overall "sound". Though, playing it back on my home system, I'm happy to report the sound was much better.