Anthony “TJ” Catalfo (formerly of Ruiner) has passed away

Anthony “TJ” Catalfo, a former Ruiner drummer, lost his fight with stage 4 colon cancer, as per theprp. In December 2024, Catalfo started receiving chemotherapy to fight the illness. Unfortunately, he died yesterday, July 29. Ruiner, his former bandmates, honoured him. Mealtrain.com still offers a Meal Train for his family. On that page, his family has also left comments regarding his passing.

Anthony “TJ” Catalfo played drums for Ruiner for what was supposed to be the final two years of the band (2009-2010). He became the annoying little brother in the van pretty much immediately. Not because he was mean spirited or an asshole. It was mostly because he wasn’t. He didn’t share the same jaded and pessimistic outlook that the rest of us had at the time. He saw the world through a lens most of us had forgotten, to him, everything still held so much beauty that we took for granted.

TJ lost his battle with cancer today. He will be remembered as a genuinely good and kind natured person. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters that truly love one another. This was too soon for this young man.
Rest In Power TJ

Ruiner published their first three-song demo and performed live for the first time on October 5, 2004. Their 7″ EP “What Could Possibly Go Right…” was released on May 5, 2005, by Firestarter and Gravemistake Records. Ruiner signed with 1917 Records at the end of the 2005 summer. Ruiner‘s lyrics addressed a range of inner emotions, including sadness, self-loathing, lost love, desolation, and disillusionment with the world. In their first year and a half of existence, Ruiner performed in more than 200 gigs; in their second year, the band travelled to Europe to perform in 31 different nations. The band performed in Europe six times, Australia twice, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Canada, and Mexico on numerous tours.

In 2007, Bridge Nine Records released “Prepare To Be Let Down”, their first album. Ruiner stopped touring in 2009 and went back to Baltimore to finish writing their new album. In July, the band and producer J. Robbins went to the studio to record the songs that would eventually become “Hell Is Empty”. Ruiner announced their split and played their last gig on October 9, 2010. After getting back together in 2016, the band has started travelling again.