Tampa Doom & Gloom Fest 2026

The exact location of the dawn of man has been a constant subject of debate. Some say it was Prometheus delivering fire, some say it was Franklin discovering electricity, most people say it’s when Lars met James…but everyone agrees: those were simply precursors. Throughout the age of enlightenment, the renaissance, the reformation era and beyond, mortals have tried to make sense of mankind's meaning on earth.

Most archaeologists believe that in the late 90's, a surge of lightning fast riffs, guttural screams, devastatingly bass tones, and the relentless pulverizing rhythm of drums unearthed a crucial piece of this puzzle...this ushered in what would be known as The Age of Ruin. Those who heard it, really dug it. But those who dug it found there is much more than the surface layers. Music filled with textures, themes, and tunings that go deeper than a James Cameron film unbound by budgets.

For over twenty years, the Age of Ruin has been firing off a relentless string of releases. Even the busiest trash compactors could not keep up with the amount of crushing that Age of Ruin crams into a single album. They have consistently delivered a brutal barrage of the heaviest hits metal has heard. Why stop At the Gates, when you can break down the whole house with your music? Why get Entombed when you can breathe new life into the scene? Why let the years waste away when the Age of Ruin can answer all of these questions?

Age of Ruin has definitely paid their dues, earning every ounce of the heaviest crown one band could carry. Naturally, the tonal tenure of the AoRmy servicemen is not something that can be held onto forever...the constant axe-wielding and riff hurling has required numerous changing of the guard over the years; however, in 2019, the core horsemen of the Age of Ruin \(Benjamin Swan, and Daniel and Christopher Fleming\) added Jonathan Clay, and Hendrik Osinga to the ranks, forging an amalgamation of devastation which would conjure a collection of songs that few, if any, houses could harness. Fortunately, under the tutelage and production of Sound-Sensei Mike Schleibaum \(Darkest Hour\), Age of Ruin would hone their tone in Mike's Riff Dojo, creating an undeniable masterpiece of metal.

Ripping guitars, unforgivably brutal drums, bass sounds that have shaken the underworld, and screeching vocals are just the beginning of this incarnation of a true headbanger's incantation. What we saw unearthed back in 1998 has now grown. The road worn warriors of the AoRmy have forced enough breakdowns to overwhelm any AAA mechanic, with miles on the highway ahead.

Their punk and metal roots hold firm, and their thrash tendencies are on full display as this towering presence of a band branches out over new tonal terrain and soundscape; reminding all who fall under its shadow, that the light shining through is a new dawn in the Age of Ruin.

In 2000 the group released their debut self-released album Black Sands of the Hourglass. By 2002 they had released their sophmore album Autumn Lanterns, released on Tribunal Records. The album Autumn Lanterns has brought to group a maturity and with the arrival of second guitarist Bryan Kerlej the group's sound has been considerably improved. In the summer of 2002 group already structure from five person and new sounding with rounds goes all from Canada up to Florida with Tribunal Records and groups Hyde and Facedown. The summer then was added still with rounds on Virginia Beach and Washington DC Vans Warped Tour. In the end of 2002, Age of Ruin came home and began to record new EP an album with producer Ken Oldenom \(Damnation AD, Battery, Better Than A Thousand\) on the Baltimore-based DFF Records, consisting of 6 songs. The album let out in April, 2003 EP The Longest Winters Woes has shown, that the group has achieved significant successes in a writing of songs, the composition and record of music. Age of Ruin have shown true processing an original sound. After record EP of an album The Longest Winters Woes, summer of 2003 Age of Ruin have gone to round with group Eulogy then a number of not so pleasant events has followed. From group send away Patrick Ouens, Chris Fleming and Derick Kozerki.Then the old friend to the remained participants of group Dzho Sheibel has been taken in group in a role of the new bass player, on a place of the drummer Kolin Kerkz \(from state of Maryland playing Hardcore/Metal/Doom outfit Haddonfield\) has come and Ben Svan \(from group Samadhi\) has joined group as the new vocalist. After disorder in 2003, Age of Ruin with new structure have returned to studio with Ken Oldenom and have started record of their debut album The Tides of Tragedy. On creation and record of a new album year has left, but it costed that, The Tides of Tragedy very brightly shows continuous development and improvement in processing a sound of group Age of Ruin in which each element of fate, mosh and glam is expressed up to a limit. Be assured, that Age of Ruin will inform up to you surprising melodious brutallity an album The Tides of Tragedy.