Label: Rise Above Records
Review by Matteo Bussotti
Starting from their over 15.000 likes on Facebook, you can sense from the beginning that Blood Ceremony are not a mediocre band, but really have something to say. They claim to have ’70s fills, heavy riffs and paranoia-inducing riffs. And that’s true. Unbelievably true. Among lots of “posers” bands, who claim to bring back the old sounds…Blood Ceremony simply delivers a “good old” sound. If I hadn’t known this album was a new release, I’d have mistaken it for an original 70s release. We have heavy riffs, effects, flutes, it’s like we’re listening to Ian Anderson singing Black Sabbath with Ritchie Blackmore on guitar.
The result is, in my point of view, excellent. Excellent…if you like 70s music (but…who doesn’t?). All the songs sound perfect, thanks to the recordings of Nick Blagona (who worked with…Deep Purple! Who would have said that?) and the production and mixing of Ian Blurton. The guitar has a sweet, really full sound, it’ll just get you immersed in all the songs. Another very important element is the organ: the times when it kicks in, it’s right when the song becomes even better than how already was. And the vocals. Alia‘s voice is simply beautiful, real music for your ears, with her deep, hard but sensuous tone.
“The Eldritch Dark” is a great album, and I hope it really gets Blood Ceremony to even more concerts and success. If I had to pick any song from the whole album, it’ll be “Witchwood” (powerful, with a great vibe and some nice tempo changes), “Goodbye Gemini” (great, great vocals, nice rhythm…and I’m a huge fan of flutes, ok?) and… “Drawing Down the Moon”, for its great atmosphere, and the background organ melodies.
Believe me if I say this was one of the toughest choices of my life, because picking only 3 of the album’s songs it’s nearly impossible, they’re all worth listening to (multiple times, like…continuously). If you have the chance, don’t hesitate and buy this album immediately, Blood Ceremony have some character, and they deserve all the support in the world for showing it to the public, and for doing music as they like, instead of conforming themselves to the mainstream industry.
We need more bands like Blood Ceremony. Congratulations to all of you, Blood Ceremony! I’m eagerly awaiting a new album, or even an EP. Don’t keep me waiting too long! …and maybe come touring here in Italy!
Rating – 90/100
Tracklist
- Witchwood
- Goodbye Gemini
- Lord Summerisle
- Ballad of The Weird Sisters
- The Eldritch Dark
- Drawing Down the Moon
- Faunus
- The Magician
Line Up
- Alia O’Brien – Vocals, Flute, Organ
- Sean Kennedy – Guitars
- Lucas Gadke – Bass
- Michael Carrillo – Drums