By Bob Makin
originally published: 07/24/2026
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is “Spiral Will,” a single and video from “Fading Failing Ruin,” the latest album from doomy Jersey Shore dirt metal greats Solace. PHOTO BY A.J. KINNEY
Seminal Jersey Shore dirt metal greats Solace recently dropped their latest album, “Fading Failing Ruin,” on Magnetic Eye Records just in time to celebrate their 30th anniversary.
“Spiral Will,” one of the nine-song LP’s singles and videos, is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Spiral Will“ also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on July 24 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin, Mixcloud and RadioJersey.
All the heaviness, experience, and obvious maturity of their songwriting across three decades is perfectly reflected in the seeming ease with which these master craftsmen hammer out one captivating and crushing track after the other on their fifth album in 30 years.
Revolving around apocalyptic, infernal, and end-time themes that easily fit this day and age, "Fading Failing Ruin" nails the current global mood by taking a strong dose of inspiration from the earliest days of metal and blending it with contemporary heaviness.
"If our previous album, 'The Brink,’ represented the last thoughts of a drowning man, then 'Fading Failing Ruin' is his spirit washing up on shore,” vocalist Justin Goins said. "This new world is foreign and alien to him, and he'll soon realize that there's no bottom to which he can sink. There's always another depth to descend once he crashes through the bedrock below. The cost of his failures in life is to be fettered to a stone by a chain at his ankle, walking in circles until the chain, winding itself around the stone, pulls him in a spiral to be crushed against the rock. The only way forward is to ascend, and the only way to ascend is to fashion wings – one feather grown from each slight and wound – until he can achieve escape velocity, breaking the chain and rising above his human failings. The freedom of wings, however, can be its own curse, threatening to turn him into a monster by setting him above what he sees as pedestrian concerns beneath him, destroying the humanity that sets him apart from the rest of the world."
Justin replaced original Solace vocalist Jason L., who had sadly passed away in January 2025. Later in the year, Solace released an extended and remastered 25th anniversary edition of their ferocious 2000 debut "Further" that became an unplanned but much deserved tribute to the brilliant yet tortured front man.
In addition to Justin, Solace consists of drummer Tim Schoenleber, bassist Mike Sica and guitarists Justin Skyler Daniels and Tommy Southard of Godspeed and Social Decay. They are joined on "Fading Failing Ruin" by slide guitarist Duane Hutter, Lowrider’s Pelle Andersson on keyboards and Eric Rachel on additional keyboards. The album was recorded by Eric at Bulletproof Music Studio in Hazlet and The Pussycat Club in Milford and mixed and mastered by him at Trax East in South River. He produced the album with the band.
“The fact that Solace are still here after 30 years makes 'Fading Failing Ruin' a real milestone for us, and I'm still in a band that I love with some of my oldest friends", Tommy said. "Timmy, our drummer, and I started our first band when he was 12 and I was 14! Soon after that, our bass player, Mike, and I founded a band playing Priest and Kiss covers. It feels kind of wild that we're still here making music we love all these years later. I couldn't be more proud of this record and all the massive work that we put into it. Both Justins did an incredible job, and I consider both brothers. It was a labor of love and I hope that translates and people enjoy it as much as we do. Now, I just want this band to continue and make more music before our time runs out."
Having recently toured Europe, Solace will perform Sept. 18 & 19 at Ripplefest Texas in Austin.
Check out “Fading Failing Ruin” on Apple Music and Spotify.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and Instagram and contact Bob at [email protected].
About the author:
New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.
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