The RuinsZu project is bassist Massimo Pupillo and saxophonist Luca T. Mai from the band Zu, along with drummer Tatsuya Yoshida, who performs under the name Ruins Alone. RuinZu's repertoire consists of both Zu and Ruins songs in new arrangements and new songs. This work is twelve tracks released on vinyl, CD and digital download. "Gravestone" starts it off with heavy riffing and wild drumming as well some non-verbal vocalization. It's a real roller-coaster ride with plenty of dips, hills, plummets, lifts and air-time. Maniacal, insane and intense. "Speedball" might have Zappa rocking and rolling in his grave. It has that early Mothers of Invention vocal/instrumental madness they were known for with time changed galore. And yes, it is quite fast. "Asmodeo" slows it Down quite a bit, atmospheric and percussionless at first, but it's not long before the band settles into some abstract groove, albeit with some nice dynamic and tempo changes. That track slides too easily into "La grande madre delle bestie" with riffs that would make Van Der Graaf Generator weep. All of a sudden, it kind of falls apart, or morphs into something distant and completely different. "Vexopracta" brings back the vocal element and has the improv feel and energy you can only get from a live performance. If you though "Speedball" was fast, "Burning Stone" takes it way over the top. It's like listening to a coked-up methamphetamine Pere Ubu. This runs right into "Hyderomastgroningen." along the same lines. It does include some unexpected changes, something this outfit excels at.

"Sanctuary" is a weird and wacky tune (due to the bizarre vocals) sprinting across your speakers like a 3-headed gazelle. "Memories of Zworrisdeh" is equally outlandish, maybe even more-so in the vocal department. It's the Pupillo/Yoshida rhythm section that drives this one across the finish line. Lots of proggy elements...maybe too many... (Nah, you can never have too many!) The most notable thing about "Muro Torto" is Luca's sax going ballistic by itself. "Mar Glaciale Artico" sounds like a broken or dysfunctional machine but is really quite cool in its deconstruction. "Solar Anus" (alright, who though of that title) is the mostly wild and inevitable conclusion to 'Jazzisdead(live).' I think this was recorded at the final date of their 2024 European tour in Turin, Italy. What a lucky audience! This album is intens with a capital 'I' and the players are phenomenal. Their promo sheet describes them as progressive-metal, avant-garde noise, but I'd call them avant prog-punk speed-jazz rock. Great album no matter how you classify it.