Album: Life Among the Ruins by Virgin Steele (1993)
Genre: Heavy Metal
Record Label: SPV GmbH
Format: Album

Description: Life Among the Ruins is the fifth full-length studio album by US heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It was released in 1993 through , Shark Records. The song "Snakeskin Voodoo Man" was present only in the American release and was instead released as a single in 1992 in Europe, at the same time of the VHS Tale of the Snakeskin Voodoo Man. The VHS featured videos for "Snakeskin Voodoo Man", "Love Is Pain", "Invitation-I Dress in Black" and "Cage of Angels-Never Believed in Good-Bye", interviews and backstage footage. The music of this album is bluesy hard rock and melodic metal, more similar to early Whitesnake's recordings than the epic power metal of albums like Noble Savage and the following The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I. This is the first album with bassist Rob DeMartino, who replaced Joe O'Reilly, retired from the scene.

Artist Background: Virgin Steele is a heavy metal band from New York, founded in 1981. They play what they call "barbaric-romantic" metal, which is very symphonic and contains many elements from classical music. Band-leader David DeFeis describes the music as "From a whisper to a scream, barbaric, romantic, bombastic, yet subtle, grandiose, yet earthy. A call, a shout, an invocation to Freedom and the continual awakening to the awareness that every moment of life is lived to its fullest potential. It is a force... Emerged in the 1980s era. Associated with Heavy Metal movement. Known for Metal style.

Music Scene: Emerged in the 1980s era. Associated with Heavy Metal movement. Known for Metal style.

Tags: Heavy Metal, 1990s, Album, SPV GmbH

Additional Context: Available on Discogs marketplace


Life Among the Ruins is the fifth full-length studio album by US heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It was released in 1993 through , Shark Records. The song "Snakeskin Voodoo Man" was present only in the American release and was instead released as a single in 1992 in Europe, at the same time of the VHS Tale of the Snakeskin Voodoo Man. The VHS featured videos for "Snakeskin Voodoo Man", "Love Is Pain", "Invitation-I Dress in Black" and "Cage of Angels-Never Believed in Good-Bye", interviews and backstage footage. The music of this album is bluesy hard rock and melodic metal, more similar to early Whitesnake's recordings than the epic power metal of albums like Noble Savage and the following The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I. This is the first album with bassist Rob DeMartino, who replaced Joe O'Reilly, retired from the scene.

Life Among the Ruins

Virgin Steele

Track List

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