EP Review: Days of Ruin – Age of Ignorance (Self Released)

Rating: 9
Author: Brendan Fisher

18/09/2026 Brendan Fisher 4 min read

Swiss metalcore band Days of Ruin will release their new EP, Age of Ignorance, on September 25th, 2026.

Based in Bern, Switzerland, Days of Ruin were formed in 2017 by former members of Road To Nowhere, Omnicide and Paranoia, with former Art of Phobia vocalist Michael Stucki joining shortly afterwards. The band describe themselves as old-school metalcore, combining the heaviness of death metal with driving grooves and a strong focus on live energy. After years of playing shows across Switzerland, Days of Ruin took another step forward in 2026 by winning the Wacken Metal Battle Switzerland. Age of Ignorance follows their 2020 LP Extinction and three singles released in 2025, bringing together established live favourites and new material across what the band describe as their most cohesive release to date.

Age of Ignorance was recorded, mixed and mastered by Sebastian Schiess at SOS Basement and comes with artwork by Enrico Sterlacci.

Days of Ruin is Michael Stucki on vocals, Denis Ablondi on guitars, Silvano Dragonetti on guitars and backing vocals, Raphael Angst on bass and Enrico Sterlacci on drums.

Another Day In Hell starts things off with an aggressive but superbly catchy track. The shouted “core” vocals are strong, while the metallic riffing and crunchy drums will quickly have you banging your head along. There’s some nice variation when the song hits chorus territory, with more singing and a melodic layer from the guitars. A darker breakdown brings in more guttural growls, although they lack a little depth and power, but I love the transition back into the more melodically charged chorus/passage. It’s a strong start.

Goodbye Forever keeps the quality coming with a really cool riff that instantly grabs you. The shouted vocals add another layer, while little drops of melody from the guitars keep things interesting alongside the heavy and intense riffs. The cleans and shouts are delivered with plenty of power and angst, with backing growls adding further variation. There’s a lot of cool stuff happening here, from the great melody and strong vocal variation to the foundation of heavy drums, bass and riffs.

Beneath the Waves is a short, 30-second melodic interlude that gives us a brief breather before Fear of Death brings us back to what appears to be Days of Ruin’s trademark. Intense and superbly catchy drums and riffs instantly get you bouncing and moving, while this feels like the most direct and heavy track on the EP. The vocals sound particularly nasty, mixing shouts and gutturals as the drums, bass and guitars pummel relentlessly. A layer of melody and a neat guitar solo freshen things up as the song progresses.

Your Own Misery and Poison deliver more quality and creativity, balancing traditional hardcore with modern metalcore to create a sound that isn’t exactly unique, but one Days of Ruin definitely own and wear well. They tread a line between out-and-out aggression and catchiness, ensuring there are hooks and variation without losing the heaviness. The vocal variation keeps things fresh and the melodic moments add depth and emotion, but there are also plenty of opportunities to just hit the pit and let loose.

Age of Ignorance closes with Stand Up and there will be no surprises by now to see me write that the beats and riffs are again very catchy and easy to get into. There isn’t really much I can write without becoming repetitive, but suffice to say that this is another top-quality song balancing great vocal variation and gorgeous melody with out-and-out aggression, catchy riffs and heavy drums. The closing passage is particularly effective, with extended feedback suggesting the song is coming to an end before the riffs start chugging again, the vocals return and we get one final brief attack that would leave bodies everywhere in the pit.

Age of Ignorance is a very strong release built around plenty of simple ideas: catchy riffs, intense drums and varying vocal styles. What Days of Ruin do very well is execute those ideas with enough variation that each song leans on their core skills slightly differently, keeping things fresh throughout. They are clearly talented, know exactly what they do well and, more importantly, know how to keep a listener engaged from start to finish. There is nothing here that feels particularly revolutionary, but it doesn’t need to be. Days of Ruin take the things they do well and execute them very effectively, resulting in an EP that is easy to enjoy from start to finish.