Metal for all

The landscape of heavy metal music is far ranging—spanning decades, drawing from innumerable influences and populated by an ever-growing list of painfully specific subgenres. The five members of From the Ruins have seen almost every inch of it, but, when they describe their own sound, wisdom begets brevity.

“I would say, ’metal as fuck,’” said bassist—and RN&R contributor—Eric Marks. The others laughed and nodded in agreement. It really is that simple.

The band’s first show was about a year ago, but only recently has the final lineup been settled. Guitarists Chuck Reyome and Scott Schlingheyde were original members, and vocalist Isaac Wilson and drummer Robert Landers were recruited afterward.

“As a band, we’ve only had less than six or seven shows total,” said Reyome. “I’ve lived in Reno since 1995, so I’ve seen a lot of these guys play throughout the years in different incarnations of their own bands that they play in—being friends with these guys and watching them and just going, ’Wow, these guys are some of the best guys around in town.’”

The band members recognize crossovers like Iron Maiden and Metallica, but some of their tastes run toward the heavier sounds of death metal and the like. Collectively though, they place an emphasis on recognizable hooks and melodies on top of screaming guitar solos, roaring vocals and rhythmic drum blasts, all with a clear intention—to get people moving.

“This band is fun, though—that’s why I ultimately decided to join,” said Marks. “My last band was work. I’ve been in bands in Reno since 1984, and the music progressed, and I was always looking for something more and more challenging, but after a while you burn out, and it just becomes work.”

“I’m looking for it to progress,” said Schlingheyde. “I’d love for this thing to just explode—but I have fun doing it.”

As veterans on both the performance and management sides, the band members want their accessible sound to drive turnout and make it easier for venues to book not only them, but more metal bands in general.

“I like all-ages shows,” said Marks. “All these shitty promoters came in and just kind of fucked things up. Five years ago, 10 years ago even, it was awesome. [There was] that cohesion—house parties, underground shows, three bands for three bucks, not 17 bands for 18 dollars that nobody cares about.”

A lack of all-ages shows means that promoters need to stack the roster so a show can attract as many people as possible, meaning acts get paid less, and fewer people get to see the band they came for—while younger audiences get shut out completely.

“The Reno scene is hurting right now at this point, as far as getting people out there,” said Reyome. “I feel Eric, and I pay all my people when I’m promoting a show, but a venue has to pay their bills too. It’s a catch-22.”

On May 13, From the Ruins will play the first metal show ever hosted at Mummer’s in Sparks since that venue changed from the Alley. The band members see it as a test of whether metal can fill the venue. Ultimately, they hope to tour beyond Reno city limits and find listening ears wherever they can.