RITUAL: The Hemulic Voluntary Band (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Until now, Ritual has been more like a rather talented folk/rock band inspired by Jethro Tull and Yes than a true progressive rock band. "The hemulic voluntary band" is clearly the album that makes them lean towards the second category and in the best way.

The album opens with the title track of real efficiency giving a real lesson of progressive 70's in less than 5 minutes. At this game, we could quote Spock's Beard with "Thoughts part II" or Echolyn with "As the world" who, just like Ritual, managed to gather the majority of the elements of progressive rock (instrumental/vocal complexity, breaks, multiple intertwined melodies...) in a coherent and relatively short whole. The voice of Patrik Lundström plays for a lot in the success of this song, the chorus is formidable and remains in the mind for a long time. As a result, the second track may seem a bit bland compared to its predecessor, but if you look at it, all the ingredients that characterize the band's music are still there: the melodic vocals, the use of multiple instruments more or less acoustic, the alternation of dynamic and calm passages... With "Late in november", Ritual shows that it is as comfortable in the ballad as in the energetic rock with a flute bringing a Celtic and soothing character to this track with autumnal colors. "The groke" with its dark and martial melody is probably the least successful track of the album even if the instrumental bridge is beautiful with a fine and delicate piano. "Waiting by the bridge" sounds more modern with a funky rhythmic that would not deny the Red Hot Chili Peppers and a chorus, once again, very striking.

If the album stopped there, we could say that Ritual would have delivered a quite honorable work, but the best is still to come with the long 26 minutes suite "A dangerous journey". Composed of 9 parts, this "epic" starts like an old Genesis of the Peter Gabriel era with a strong predominance of acoustic guitar ("Cat and Glasses") before the climate darkens in the second part ("Swamp") and the choirs make their appearance giving the track a more symphonic dimension. "Meeting" continues in the vein of the previous part except that the electric guitar, still rather discreet, makes its appearance. Then, "Vulcano" takes over and it is to Yes that one thinks then, Patrik Lundström going up in the high notes for the chorus and the rest of the band showing an impressive control of the instrumental break. Everything will then follow very quickly for the remaining parts with "Cold" which marks a short melodic break in the whole. "Onion soup" which goes back to its beginnings with the jazzy ballad, "Monster! "and its hard rock, "Balloon" in a progressive symphonic vein and "A party outdoors" returning to the acoustic folk of the beginning of the song.

If you add to that a very beautiful booklet in the spirit "monsters and wonders" drawn by Javier Herbozo, "The hemulic voluntary band" is obviously an unavoidable album, probably the best of Ritual with the first one which already dates from 1996. Indispensable! - Official website

RITUAL

THE HEMULIC VOLUNTARY BAND

TEMPUS FUGIT

PROGRESSIVE ROCK