Within the Ruins founding members Joe Cocchi and Kevin McGuill started the band during 2003. The band went through some line-up changes and finally began working on their first self-released EP entitled Driven by Fear which was completed in 2005. Followed by the release, the band began touring in late 2006 in an effort to gain exposure and label recognition. With the release of their second EP Empires through Innerstrength Records the band received an offer from Victory Records. The band's debut studio album Creature was released in February 2009, followed by their second studio album entitled Invade. Invade was released in September 2010, selling over 3000 copies in its first week. The band has most recently toured Europe with Carnifex and has been part of a number of 2011-12 festivals thus far including the Bonecrusher Fest, the Jamboree, New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, the Bamboozle, South by Southwest and 2011's the Summer Slaughter Tour. In support of the Summer Slaughter Tour the band released a 4-song EP entitled Omen. The EP consists of 2 new original songs and a cover of Metallica's "Fight Fire with Fire" and Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son". In 2013 the band signed with new label eOne Entertainment and released the third studio album called Elite.
On April 20, 2014, vocalist Tim Goergen was hospitalized in the band's hometown of Westfield, Massachusetts with "heart/liver complications". As a result, the band was forced to miss a scheduled appearance at the "Eat Your Heart Out Fest" in Poughkeepsie, New York while touring in support of fellow deathcore mainstays Whitechapel.
The band released an official statement on the occurrence via their Facebook page:
"Yesterday morning Tim checked into a hospital here in Western Mass for a second time since our tour began four days ago. We will unfortunately not be performing at today's Eat Your Heart Out Fest, as we are waiting for clarity on Tim's condition and release. Tim informed us a few weeks before leaving for tour that he was experiencing chest and stomach pains. After his first doctor visit he was advised to "take it easy" if he did do the tour. At this point all we know is that he is experiencing heart/liver complications, will not be released today, but is stable."
Tim's recovery necessitated the band canceling the rest of their scheduled tour dates. On their Facebook page, the band released an official statement:
Unfortunately, at this point we have no other option but to withdraw from the remaining dates of the Whitechapel tour. Tim will be released tomorrow, but due to the seriousness of his condition he has been advised not to engage in any strenuous activity while recovering over the next few weeks. We apologize to any fans that were looking forward to seeing us, but Tim’s health comes first. We WILL be back out this summer in support of our forthcoming album. The rest of the shows are still happening so be sure to make it out and support our friends in Whitechapel, Carnifex and Cruel Hand. See you all this summer!
On July 8, the band released the fourth studio album entitled Phenomena, which reached #72 on the Billboard 200.
On February 15, 2015, while traveling through Pennsylvania in support of Suicide Silence on "The Stronger Than Faith", the band were involved in a serious bus accident. Extreme winter conditions resulted in the band's van and trailer flipping several times on the interstate. None of the band members were injured, however their gear was completely destroyed.
Speaking on the incident, Joe Cocchi stated:
"We rolled about three times from what I can remember and landed on the median. Our van and trailer are totaled. All I can say is that we're happy to be alive. I don't know how, but none of us were injured. We're on the road touring because this is all we know and love, and we want to continue. Help us get back on our feet by picking up a shirt. Thank you all for the continued support."
The band created a GoFundMe page in order to help pay for the damages to their equipment.
On November 21, 2016, Within the Ruins announced their fifth studio album, Halfway Human, and debuted a single, "Death of the Rockstar". On March 3, 2017, the band released Halfway Human. The album debuted at number 191 on the Billboard 200, selling 4,025 copies in its first week.
On February 24, 2018, it was announced vocalist Tim Goergen would be leaving the band following his final performance with the band at the 2018 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 21. His replacement would be Steve Tinnon. On July 27, the band released two new singles, their first with Tinnon, "Resurgence" and "World Undone".
On September 24, 2020, the band announced that their sixth studio album, Black Heart, would be released on November 27.
Red Flagged
Within the Ruins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
as we sat and watched patiently
while madness began taking over.
This was a red flag screaming
we were cast out and ignored,
and then the bullets began streaming.
I can lift my hand and make it all new again.
I send plagues of weapons to eliminate your kind.
But we never asked, we never asked for this.
We do not fear what you have done,
we fear what you have become.
Try to save yourselves.
When it rains, it will pour
dissolve all, all of our reckoning.
A spark of deviance
will shatter any glimmer of hope
and all will become submissive.
This is what we feared,
I'll be your architect of doom.
The lyrics of Within the Ruins's song "Red Flagged" contain a powerful commentary on the dangers of ignoring warning signs and allowing chaos and destruction to take over. The opening line "War screamed from your mouth" sets the stage for a tense and violent atmosphere in which an unnamed group or individual is spiraling out of control. The singer recounts how they watched "patiently" as madness began to take over, but eventually realized that the situation was escalating beyond control. The repeated phrase "red flag screaming" emphasizes the urgency of the warning signs that were ignored, and the devastating consequences that followed. Ultimately, the bullets began streaming and the singer and their group were forced to confront the violence head-on.
One intriguing aspect of "Red Flagged" is the sense of powerlessness that permeates the song. The singer acknowledges that they can "lift [their] hand and make it all new again," and can "speak one word and you will never hear again," but ultimately they are unable to prevent the violence and destruction from taking place. Instead, they are left to reckon with the aftermath and try to make sense of what went wrong. The final lines of the song - "This is what we feared, I'll be your architect of doom" - suggest that the singer is now taking control of the situation, but it is unclear what form this will take or whether it will be enough to prevent further devastation.
Overall, "Red Flagged" is a haunting reminder of the importance of paying attention to warning signs and taking action before it's too late. The song's intense energy, driving rhythms, and ominous lyrics all contribute to a sense of urgency and danger that will stay with listeners long after the final notes fade away.
Line by Line Meaning
War screamed from your mouth
You were crying out for war.
as we sat and watched patiently
We were paying attention as you became more and more dangerous.
while madness began taking over.
You were losing your sanity and it was becoming evident to us.
This was a red flag screaming
This was a warning sign that we ignored.
we were cast out and ignored,
We were exiled and disregarded by you.
and then the bullets began streaming.
Then the violence and aggression began.
I can lift my hand and make it all new again.
I have the power to destroy and rebuild everything.
I can speak one word and you will never hear again.
I can silence you forever with a single command.
I send plagues of weapons to eliminate your kind.
I use violence and warfare to eradicate anyone who is like you.
But we never asked, we never asked for this.
We didn't want this fight or this destruction.
We do not fear what you have done,
We are not afraid of your actions.
we fear what you have become.
We are afraid of who you have turned into.
Try to save yourselves.
You need to try and preserve what is left of your humanity.
When it rains, it will pour
When things start to go wrong, it will escalate quickly.
dissolve all, all of our reckoning.
Everything we have built or planned will be destroyed.
A spark of deviance
A small act of rebellion
will shatter any glimmer of hope
Will completely destroy any chance of success.
and all will become submissive.
And everyone will become subservient.
This is what we feared,
This is the outcome we were scared of.
I'll be your architect of doom.
I will design and orchestrate your destruction.
Contributed by Lila P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.