The Vita Ruins

You've read about The Vita Ruins on DCist before. You may have even seen them perform at our 4th Unbuckled concert. When all that buzz was going on about the band, they'd only had a few (literally -- Unbuckled was their third show) performances under their belt. Since then they've built up a reputation that's allowed them quite a bit of luck in booking shows and getting people talking. But the Virginia natives are really starting to grow into the publicity they've backed into and deserve another look.

Last Friday night, we caught the band play as part of the Six Points Music Festival at the Rock & Roll Hotel. Sandwiched in between The Sentiment and The Dance Party, it was a loud night -- in a good way. After listening to their EP (which you'll learn in the interview, they're not very fond of), we expected a much less energetic, much more introverted performance than we received. The Vita Ruins -- with the exception of their bassist, who stood with his back to the audience most of the set -- seem very at home on the stage. Their dark but dancey sound was a delight to the audience who didn't stop moving for a moment of their set.

Front man Tim Kratzer and his counterpart Greg Balleza mirror setups, each with a keyboard, an electric guitar and a microphone in their arsenal. Backed by Mike Seaner on drums and Dave Phillips on bass, they ballance out the stormy lyrics and heavy ambience with quick rhythms and a droning bass line. Though fraught with emotion and talk of suicide and other not-so-sunshiney topics, we couldn't keep still during the Interpol-esque set.

Photos by Kyle Gustafson

Visit them online at: thevitaruins.com

See them next: On May 5 at Iota with Cedars and Shade

Questions for Tim Kratzer and Greg Balleza of The Vita Ruins:

Where'd you guys meet?

G: We went to high school together.

Around here?

G: In Fairfax

T: We actually met in guitar class.

G: I've known our bassist since third grade.

And your drummer?

T: We got him off of Craig's List.

So when did you pull the band together?

G: This one….

T: January or February of 2006.

Had you been playing together in other bands before that?

T: Yeah, our bassist and the two of us had a band earlier. A really really awful band.

G: It was a little more pop… more British.

Did you guys play out at all?

G: We actually played here once. [at Dr Dremos]

T: That was probably the biggest show we played.

G: That band was together from about 2001 to 2003. Tim and I would always play together. That band ended but then the two of us decided we were gonna move to New York, and the big idea never happened.

T: The defining moment was when I went to Boston to visit Berkley [School of Music] to go check it out, and I met with the music director there, and his idea of music was just completely different than mine. It was all about making money.

G: Making pop hits.

T: So after that I went to New York for a while, but I finally came home and asked Greg if he wanted to start a band instead.

G: We basically were still playng music, not really together but Tim was still writing songs, and he called me up and was like, "hey, you got some time to talk?" We hadn't been playing together for at least a year and a half at that point. He said, "I'm gonna stay in D.C. – under the condition that we stay in a band together." I was like, "you don't even have to ask."

Did you guys have an idea of what you wanted the band to be going into it? A particular sound?

G: We wanted to make it harder

T: Darker, more progressive than what we were doing before.

Any particular influences that you had in mind?

G: I guess at that point we had started to listen to more indie rock, cause back in our old band, our big influences were like Radiohead, Doves, Coldplay, Travis…

The bands we all liked at some point.

G: I mean we still like em – except for maybe Coldplay's last album.

T: Yeah that was pretty horrible.

G: So yeah, we started listening to a lot of Interpol, The Strokes…

T: We didn't want to lose the atmospheric part of it, but we wanted it to be more raw this time around. Heavybass lines, hard beats

G: Another band we listen to is Air – kind of incorporating a little of that electronic element into it.

So you guys have an EP out – did y record it yourselves, did you go somewhere?

G: We went to Cue up in Falls Church.

A: Did you have a good experience there?

T: No. Horrible. Completely awful.

Was it the people or the facility or…

2007_0425_vitaruins_greg.jpgG: A combination of both, I think. When we were in our old band we tried to record there once before – we didn't do much research and it was just a studio that we knew about. So I guess the way it works there is they just assign you an engineer. We knew how we wanted it to sound, so we didn't need a producer. But I guess this guy – really nice guy, but, I think he thought he was doing us a favor…

T: He was making it all clean and… I don't even know how to describe it.

G: His idea of music was completely different than ours.

T: We kept asking him like, "Do it like this, do it like this, please – this is how we want it." And he'd just do it his way.

So you had some artistic differences.

T: Yeah. And we're completely anal about every little sound, so that wasn't helping any.

G: By the end it became a big joke.

Are you happy with the way it came out?

T: Um…. No. We don't like it.

G: But, it works. We have something tangible for people to listen to.

T: Yeah, we're happy about that part.

Do you have plans to record a full length?

T: We just decided we're gonna build our own studio and do it ourselves.

G: When you're in the studio you're lookin at your watch the whole time. We'll just be in our practice space, with unlimited time. We're not sound engineers by any means, but

T: We know what we like.

G: We'll work at it to make it happen.

Have you been writing any new stuff lately?

T: Yeah

G: He's the principle writer

T: Yeah I'm always writing, so we've got a bunch of songs to work with.

Do you normally write the songs then bring them to the band?

G: Usually he'll write a lot of parts and arrange them, then he'll bring them to the band – we'll change or add parts, making them work.

When you get something new do you like to road test it, or do you like to hold on to it until you've perfected it?

G: We pretty much road test them all.

T: Yeah we do – but sometimes we play them out live when we shouldn't.

Do you have an idea in mind for what you want to put on the LP?

G: Yeah pretty much.

T: We have maybe 12 or 13 songs right now. We wanna re-do the EP. We're re-recording all those songs.

G: We think the way they were recorded before didn't really do them justice.

So, what do you guys think of the local music scene?

G: I love it.

T: Yeah I love it.

G: The fact that everyone's so close. We have good relationships with a lot of bands around here. We're pretty good friends with MDR, Telograph

T: We'll probably do something with the Dance Party soon.

G: Cedars -- we like those guys.

T: I actually tried out for that band.

G: Yeah like a year ago, they asked him to be in that band.

T: They wanted a guitarist, keyboardist and singer I guess. In the end though I just wanted to start my own band.

Yeah they're pretty well established.

G: Exactly.

Do yu guys find that the local clubs have good relationships with local bands?

T: The owners always seem to like us.

G: Yeah, like Bill over at DC9, he got us our first gig at the red and the black, and then he asked us to play an LDP anniversary party. I think we were the first band to ever actually play there. He's always encouraging us.

So your first gig was at The Red and The Black? That must have been really early on for the club.

G: It was probably a month or two after they opened. It was probably in August.

How was playing DCist's Unbuckled show different from standard gigs?

T: It was nice because we didn't have to promote. We just showed up to play and there was a bunch of people there.

You're also playing the Six Points Music Festival – have you ever played a festival like that before?

G: No – I guess we've only been playing out for 7, 8 months.

T: Unbuckled was like our second or third show. Oh – going back to the D.C. scene though – nobody here really parties very much.

G: Yeah, nobody moves around much in the crowd. We're getting more comfortable now on stage, we're trying to get more into it – and people are just standing there.

Do you have any theories about why that is?

G: No idea. I don't know if it has to do with this area or….

Have you played anywhere else?

G: No we haven't.

T: We're workin on that right now. We're working on New York right now.

G: The last show we played at R&R Hotel, we o pened up for Snowden and Malajube. Snowden are pretty known for their live show, just really opening it up on stage. They sounded good, but they sounded kind of reserved on stage. But if you go on you tube and watch clips of them performing, it's so much more energetic.

So you think the bands act differently here too?

T: I think a lot of the bands get into it. But a lot of the people watching it don't.

What's your favorite venue to play?

T: Velvet Lounge – Rob the sound guy is amazing. R&R Hotel is probably second.

G: We've only played there once but it was a really cool venue to play.

Are there any bands that you guys really enjoy playing with?

T: Snowden I mean – we're humongous fans. The reason we got the gig is because we wrote them and were just like "hey, we're from D.C., can we play with you?"

Did they already have the date booked?

T: Yeah they did. They weren't gonna have a third band, but we asked both bands and they liked the music. Then we sent a message over to Steve at R&R Hotel. Otherwise we like playing with The Sentiment.

What are some of your favorite local bands to listen to?

G: Recently I started listening to the Hard Tomorrows.

T: Yeah, the hard tomorrows. Telograph.

G: MDR. Cedars.

Who are some of your favorite bands in general? Who are you fans of?

G: Interpol, …

T: I've been listening to Peter Bjorn and John lately. And Elbow's first album.

G: You know what band I'm a huge fan of?

T: Oh, the Velvet Teens?

G: Yeah. They're awesome. They're from the west coast. There aren't a lot of west coast bands we're into.

In the perfect world, ultimate fantasy – what do you see your band doing? What would be the track that you follow?

T: All we really want is to tour.

G: Just make enough to live off.

T: That's our dream. See the world. I couldn't see us on the radio – just tour and make enough money to live. That's my ultimate goal.

One last question – is it "veeta" or "veye-ta"?

T: It's "veeta."

How'd the name come about?

T: It was kind of a long process. We started with The Ruins. But we wanted to add something more to it. So I found vida – the Spanish word for life. But I wanted a similar word in English. So we went to Vita – which meant the stories of people's lives. We thought that had a nice sound to it.

Nice and dark?

G: Yeah == people meet us and our sound is all dark and they expect us to be all miserable ass holes, like 'I hurt myself to feel alive.'

T: But it's not like that at all. We make fun of ourselves a lot. We're not that serious.

Weblink:
http://dcist.com/2007/04/25/three_stars_the.php - Amanda Mattos

Mar. 9 - 15, 2007 (Vol. 27, #10)

STANDOUT TRACK: No. 2, “Alien,” a gothic, club-friendly recasting of the UFO themes on the Pixies’ Trompe le Monde. The song kicks off with what sounds like a burning spacecraft plummeting to Earth. “I know how to run this world,” frontman Tim Kratzer sings over a sea of flanged, Interpol-ish guitar noise and sizzling drums. The vocal refrain—“So bring your rebels with their troubles”—lends an even darker, Cure-like tint to the tale of woe.

MUSICAL MOTIVATION: Kratzer says that “Alien” has nothing to do with extraterrestrials but reflects a very human appetite for destruction. “It’s about going in and kicking the shit out of someone and not worrying about the consequences,” says the singer-­guitarist of the Fairfax quartet, which plays at DC9 on March 10. “I like to keep it vague…[but] it was definitely inspired by recent events.” Guitarist Greg Balleza clarifies: “Like a foreign power coming in and dominating another country.” Still, the Vita Ruins didn’t want to make the point too obvious: “[Kratzer] wasn’t going to say ‘George W. Bush,’ ” Balleza says.

LIVIN’ LA VITA LOCA: “We say Veeta Ruins,” Kratzer says, clarifying the pronunciation of the band’s moniker, which comes from the Latin word for “life.” “[The name] basically means the destroyed stories of people’s lives.” Balleza is quick to explain, though, that they’re not the group of sad sacks that their name and songs might suggest: “A lot of people think we are real negative and bitter, but we like to think we can be fun,” he says.

weblink:
(http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=886) - Justin Moyer

With their chainsaw guitars, atmospheric overtones, and sultry vocal track, The Vita Ruins are a band that should gain attention with their debut release, A Day Without A Name. After picking up shows around the DC area and finally taking it to the studio, we’re left with 11 fresh tracks that produce a balance of euphoria and disdain, assertion and reflection, highs and lows.

The Vita Ruins were formed in 2005 by Greg Balleza (Guitars, Bass, Keyboards and Vocals) and Tim Kratzer (Vocal, Guitars, Bass and Keyboards). The two have been the glue behind the sound as they’ve collaborated with other artists the past few years, and had built their own recording studio in 2007. Since then, they have carried their music live at venues such as The Black Cat and 9:30 Club. The Vita Ruins have been labeled ‘indie music’, but create their own elements that give it a more experimental appeal.
‘A Day Without A Name’ gives us some insight on what direction The Vita Ruins are going. The album is easy to grasp with common guitar hooks and basic drum patterns that forms the base that’s easy to put your foot on. However, it delves into a more complex realm as you keep listening. ‘Godspeed To That Polytheist’ opens the album nicely, and radiates enough ambiance to attract intrigue while not giving away too much. ‘Seven Suns’ is undeniably the most radio-friendly song on the album, with its upbeat, simple, and catchy nature.
As the album progresses though, we see a sudden turn of events as the album dives into Greg and Tim’s more intimate side. The guitar is virtually scrapped, while it steers towards abstraction. ‘Griggs’ Diagnosis’ produces an exotic landscape that possibly deters the band from their indie rock label. It ends with ‘Bad Dream’ a somber ballad that remains hopeful, and leaving the album off on a high note. Overall, A Day Without A Name flows well and the songs mend together for a blissful listening experience. There are times when the vocals sound similar song-by-song, but the instrumentation varies enough to give each song its own platform to roam. - Murmur DC

Washington, D.C.-based Indie Outfit Scores with First Full-Length
Sometimes, if you want something done right, you have no other choice but than to do it yourself. That was exactly the sentiment Tim Kratzer and Greg Balleza of the Vita Ruins had when they decided to build their own
recording studio in 2007. It's not that there aren't enough recording studios in the world. But with Vita Ruins, the two longtime friends had a distinct vision and sense of what they wanted to produce.

Having their own studio allowed Kratzer and Balleza to nurture their songs from the first steps of the writing process all the way through to final mixing. Amazingly, the two had no formal training in sound engineering, but their passion for sharing the sound of the Vita Ruins drove them to learn everything they could. And judging by the sound of their first full-length, A Day Without A Name, the two are stellar students.

The album opens with "Godspeed to that Polytheist," which drenches listeners in a waterfall of sound, from ambient keys to the consistent cymbal and snare beat of the percussion. Kratzer's swim through a stream of reverb as he sings of defining oneself, in opposition to others if necessary: "We're just trying to see what our souls can know, and if anybody can tell us we don't want to know." The celestial feel of the song is intensified with the use of organ and plenty of noise, and it doesn't seem hard to believe that Radiohead and Sigur Ros fans will appreciate this.

The following song, "Seven Songs," maintains the ambient backing but introduces a distorted guitar riff razoring through the mix. During the initial verse, all of the other instruments drop out, leaving driving percussion to accompany Kratzer's talk-singing. This song has a dark, gritty edge to it and is punctuated by a lot of electronic flairs, evidence that Kratzer and Balleza spent plenty of time noodling around in their home studio. While the song incorporates a lot of different musical ideas, it doesn't sound too frenzied or confused and is another solid track.
"The Purpose of Life" offers a lot of echoing guitar during the intro but transitions to a calm, sprawling verse that gives the sensation of floating on the ocean. The Vita Ruins use a variety of intruments to build
momentrum throughout this track, but it's not overwhelming. Once again, the band manages to bounce from spacey, electronic sections to ones driving by rapid strumming on the guitar without missing a beat. The lyrics here offer a dark sense of our "Just medicate me" culture as Kratzer sings at one point, "I take the pills and calm my mind, sweat out the fears and preach my lines."

The following song, "All The Kids Must Be Crazy," kicks off with some steady electric guitar strumming, which is eventually joined by Kratzer and a second guitar providing a contrasting riff. Kratzer laments the state of today's youth on this track, singing "Well they look like they're dead and they eat what they're fed, and everything goes straight to the head," and later wonders, "Who's gonna save you now?" This is a more cohesive rock song than any of the preceding tracks, although it does have the occasional spacey moment here and there. The tail end of the track offers a great, noisy, shoe-gazing-esque pairing of electronica and guitar and brings the song to a stellar finish.

"Griggs' Diagnosis" switches things up by layering smooth electronica over a funky, syncopated beat that might seem more at home in a techno song than this slow burner. Kratzer shows of his vocals more here than on other tracks, offering lyrics that are at times hopeful ("Love, take my sins away. Love, clean my soul again.") and at times more dark ("Love, I am burning at the stake, a nice example for a beautiful display"). While not as busy as other tracks on the album, there is a distinct depth of instrumentation here, and it sounds as if Kratzer and Balleza spent plenty of time in the studio layering sounds over one another.

As "Griggs' Diagnosis" fades out, "I Was Hoping That Our Stardust Was In Some Way Connected" picks up right where it left off. The song then drops listeners off into a spacey void, with ambient noise floating over a nonexistent beat. The song gives a distinct sense of otherworldliness and a sort of musical disembodiment, and the lyrics reflect the same theme: "When I'm far away, when I'm lost from all your hands, will you be there?...When my body is torn and thrown away, will you be there, will you still feel the same?" The Vita Ruins don't let the track drag on so long that listeners get lost at sea, though, which shows a sense of good song-writing on their part.
"The Purpose of Life" offers a lot of echoing guitar during the intro but transitions to a calm, sprawling verse that gives the sensation of floating on the ocean. The Vita Ruins use a variety of intruments to build
momentrum throughout this track, but it's not overwhelming. Once again, the band manages to bounce from spacey, electronic sections to ones driving by rapid strumming on the guitar without missing a beat. The lyrics here offer a dark sense of our "Just medicate me" culture as Kratzer sings at one point, "I take the pills and calm my mind, sweat out the fears and preach my lines."

The following song, "All The Kids Must Be Crazy," kicks off with some steady electric guitar strumming, which is eventually joined by Kratzer and a second guitar providing a contrasting riff. Kratzer laments the state of today's youth on this track, singing "Well they look like they're dead and they eat what they're fed, and everything goes straight to the head," and later wonders, "Who's gonna save you now?" This is a more cohesive rock song than any of the preceding tracks, although it does have the occasional spacey moment here and there. The tail end of the track offers a great, noisy, shoe-gazing-esque pairing of electronica and guitar and brings the song to a stellar finish.

"Griggs' Diagnosis" switches things up by layering smooth electronica over a funky, syncopated beat that might seem more at home in a techno song than this slow burner. Kratzer shows of his vocals more here than on other tracks, offering lyrics that are at times hopeful ("Love, take my sins away. Love, clean my soul again.") and at times more dark ("Love, I am burning at the stake, a nice example for a beautiful display"). While not as busy as other tracks on the album, there is a distinct depth of instrumentation here, and it sounds as if Kratzer and Balleza spent plenty of time in the studio layering sounds over one another.

As "Griggs' Diagnosis" fades out, "I Was Hoping That Our Stardust Was In Some Way Connected" picks up right where it left off. The song then drops listeners off into a spacey void, with ambient noise floating over a nonexistent beat. The song gives a distinct sense of otherworldliness and a sort of musical disembodiment, and the lyrics reflect the same theme: "When I'm far away, when I'm lost from all your hands, will you be there?...When my body is torn and thrown away, will you be there, will you still feel the same?" The Vita Ruins don't let the track drag on so long that listeners get lost at sea, though, which shows a sense of good song-writing on their part.
The album's final track, "Bad Dream," opens with a semi-clean guitar riff that has been subjected to a studio effect that makes it sound like a wall of sound all on its own. This dense guitar's strums don't overwhelm
the rest of the instruments, or Kratzer's vocals, when they come in, however, and the song actually sounds quite well balanced. Great guitar is a constant on this track, as a soaring electric guitar line enters around the two minute, 30-second mark and floats alongside Kratzer's vocals. The track feels like one big crescendo, as emotion and momentum build with every beat. The song has a definite dream-like quality with all of the echoing and electronic effects, and as the track fades out, listeners will likely be left wanting more.

Building their own recording studio isn't the only evidence of the Vita Ruins' dedication to their music. Every note and effect on this album feels as though it is in precisely the right place, and every second that needs to be is filled with as much sound as possible. The Vita Ruins effectively blend fuzzy guitars and funky electronic beats, creating ambient atmospheres and rocking moments. A Day Without A Name has a unique sound and is a cohesive and enjoyable album. - Brian Willett

A while back I was debating with one of my friends about the nuances of the Main Stage at the Black Cat. While we sat in a dark corner of the Red Room, swilling back some booze, we were locked into a conversation trying to name local bands that would be able to pull off a successful show and fill the large room that has hosted countless local and national acts throughout the years. One of the first bands out of my friend’s mouth was The Vita Ruins. He proceeded to describe their mash of electronic sequencing and reverb laden guitars. After hearing my friends excitable pitch I was hoping that I would get to see them soon and also hoping that it would be at the Black Cat main stage. On March 5th I put my friend’s theory to the test as The Vita Ruins took the Main Stage for their own CD release party.

Five years have passed since The Vita Ruins introduced themselves to the DC music scene and the evolution of the band has gone through a number of line-up changes. The band was started by two likeminded multi-instrumentalists, Tim Kratzer and Greg Balleza. Since releasing their highly acclaimed EP “Thanks for Your Concern (But We’re Okay),” they have become a favorite of local music aficionados. Their lineup has been ever changing and recently they had to part ways with their drummer (Mike Seaner) and bassist (Ian Wright). Even with these departures Tim and Greg continue to commit themselves to their sound and performance focusing on an even broader experience. Since 2007 they have been holed up in their custom built studio recording and perfecting the new album and with the addition of Rob Hart the Vita Ruins seem poised to make some beautiful noise.

Now with their CD finished and a long recording process behind them you could feel the excitement in the air. The room slowly filled with an enthusiastic crowd as two other local favorites, Ra Ra Rasputin and Cobra Collective put on an entertaining and energetic show. The dance floor was now filled with people and the crowd started to look more fitting to receive a national act, rather than a local one. It was clear that both old and new fans alike were enthused with the new offering from Vita Ruins and anxious to support them.
The stage went dark and out filed Greg, Tim, and Rob. They tore right into a new untitled new song, ready for the hungry ears of the audience. All three stood across the front of the stage as the ever-present Macbook held the drum beats down and the knob tweaking started. One of the most fascinating thing about them was how tight they played with the computer. Often bands can struggle playing with such an unforgivable component, however The Vita Ruins masterfully used it to maximum effect. My favorite of the night was “Seven Suns.” I was lucky enough to grab a copy of the album before the show and this song really stood out to me both recorded and live. This song possesses the same shimmery electronic gold that gave“ Ok Computer” its legendary status. Although comparisons to Radiohead get tiresome to say the least, if anyone pulls it off it is The Vita Ruins.

Each member switches between guitar, keyboards, bass and drums. The sounds coming out of the speakers seemed other worldly. It is one thing to perfect your sound in the studio, however it is quite a different thing to perform them flawlessly for your adoring fans live on stage. I had mentioned already how daunting it can be to play with sequenced tracks, but to keep it exciting and engaging can be just as difficult. With songs like “The Purpose of Life” the crowd was singing along with a crazed devotion. Tim and Greg worked the keys and the guitars at the same time while Rob pulled together the rhythm.

After the night wrapped up an enthusiastic crowd poured out onto the streets and I was able to get a few comments from a local fan that made it up from Virginia to support his favorite band.
Lee

Lee Waggoner

“A band on the rise that clearly exceeds all expectations. A unique blend of sounds that transcends any particular genre.” Lee Waggoner

And that, my friends, is all you need to know. Now go find them here and go see them. You will not be disappointed but your mind may be left in ruins! (Oblivious pun day!) - Bryan Speelman

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE of life? The answer lies in a track off of local indie rock band the Vita Ruins' new album, "A Day Without a Name."

"It's Natty Bo," jokes singer Tim Kratzer, who plays guitar and takes on electronics along with Greg Balleza on bass, guitar and keyboard. The track is a glimpse into an aimless life whose meaning lies in the bottom of a pill bottle, pint glass or the next party.

"The album asks yourself why you do the things you do," says Kratzer. "Constantly going out and telling yourself you're still young and can get away with it, then waking up in the morning and doing it again."

There's nothing adolescent in their new album, which took a year and a half to make. They built a recording studio, replaced a bassist with a MacBook, brought in arpeggio, anda synth beat, and developed a progressive sound. That is, after teaching themselves how to record, mix and engineer. "It was lots of trial and error," says Balleza. "We had to teach ourselves how to do everything."

While their sound is atmospheric, the Vita Ruins add some electronic beat to quell any gazing at the shoes.

"We wanted more sequence, more filters, more effects," says Kratzer. "At its core, it's still a hard-moving bass line."

The album riffles through several genres, from the adrenaline-fused rock of "Seven Suns" to the softer, swooning feel of "Purpose of Life."

"We've gotten compared to Radiohead, Doves, Interpol, but the way our songs are driven are different," says Balleza. "In a sense it's dance, but it's dark." - Robyn Mincher

A certain paranoia runs through the songs of local trio the Vita Ruins. Foreboding electronics linger under the surface of most songs on the band's new album, "A Day Without a Name," while the atmospheric guitars and moaning vocals add a hint of desperation. Think of the band as a less bombastic version of Muse; the message that we're living in a hopeless, future age is similar, but instead of combating that dire situation with overblown histrionics as Muse does, Vita Ruins soaks up those anxieties and piles on more layers of sound. - The Going Out Gurus