My Ruin are the latest group from Tairrie B., the former frontwoman of Manhole/Tura Satana. Make no mistake about it though, this isn't the rapcore stylings of old as My Ruin dwell in a light much more vicious than Tairrie's past works ever attempted. Filled with vitriolic, enraged vocals spit forth over crunchy Sabbath reminiscent riffs, the music charges forth with elements of new metal, punk, stoner rock and more, sounding like an uneasy cross between the likes of Amen and Black Sabbath with a touch of perhaps more recent Downset.

Tairrie's throaty, husky vocals explode with screams so abrasive that they nearly make Kittie's Morgan Lander sound like Josie & The Pussycats. Disturbingly bottomless wails litter the tracks, not surprisingly drawing comparisons to the likes of departed Snot frontman Lynn Strait, a vocalist whom the track "Rock Star" is lovingly dedicated to. However, that's not her only facet of expression as she also chooses to indulge in a sultry side, overflowing with the bittersweet spoken words of an empowered woman scorned beyond all redemption. Guitar wise, the effort is layered with chunky riffs that draw heavily upon Sabbath/Stoner Rock grooves, yet do so in a contemporary fashion, utilizing the spiked punch of a modern metal aesthetic to establish a sound that is punishingly heavy. The bass playing is consistent and uses a slightly low tuning that compliments the plodding notes which consistently tumble along while a fairly non-intrusive percussive performance courtesy of hired hand and former Downset. sticks man Chris Hamilton locks things into place, utilizing a bevy of diligently hits beats that pay fine attention to establishing a foundation, rather than showboating.

Sonically the record has a very analog punch to it, as fuzzy, grinding riffs belt out a very free spirited almost punk rock attitude that can bring to mind the no frills audio vengeance of the bands of days past. The songs are unforgiving and make no attempts to cloak their brutish aggression as they ruthlessly pummel the listener into submission. From the looming bass drones of "Beauty Fiend" to blues/country reminiscent swagger of "Do You Love Me", the band also exhibit a surprising amount of maturity, especially when gauging from the performance captured upon their previous release. Admittedly there's still a few things that could be worked upon, the most notable of which being a better incorporation of dynamics, something which this release tends to hint upon, but never fully commits to. Apart from that, "A Prayer..." is a fairly solid outing and a definite step in the right direction for the world of female fronted metal. There's no glamorous young girls, bullshit cliches or blatant sexual innuendoes included here so the band can sell records, its just straight forward bloodletting and personal exorcisms to cleanse the listeners ears like a corkscrew.