THE HEMULIC VOLUNTARY BAND

In the mid-Nineties this Swedish band was very popular in Holland and I have seen Ritual a few times, they turned into a kind of 'cult- band' in those days because of their fresh blend of Classic Prog and folk and their enthousiastic approach on stage. And I remember that one of my friends had taken his 12 years old son to a Ritual concert, he was delighted with a signed t-shirt by the band and at that moment he was the youngest Ritual fan in Holland!

So I was very curious to this new effort, I haven't heard a Ritual album for many years. But during my first listening session it was like "meeting an old friend', very warm and familiar. To me Ritual still sounds as a blend of Classic Prog (Gentle Giant and Yes) and folk in which singer Patrik Lundström plays an important role with his distinctive voice. A captivating element on this CD is the swinging sound of the clavinet (Kerry Minnear from Gentle Giant is one of the few keyboard players who used it frequently), often in strong interplay with the guitar.

I am pleasantly surprised by this new Ritual album, let's say they are still 'alive and Eclectic Progging'! My rating: 3,5 stars.

Amazing!!!

I remember a year or so ago I got two RITUAL albums issued by a Russian license (“Ritual” 1995 and “Think like a Mountain” 2003). Their music seemed very strange yet almost mainstreamy – this unique effect was reached due to high-class musicianship, tasty varied arrangements and complex vocal polyphony all drawn together with catchy melodic lines, short tracks and very ethnic feeling attached to it all. I failed to LOVE these guys’ stuff, but when I came across their new work, I decided to give few spins to “The Hemulic Voluntary Band”.

And what an album it is! All RITUAL aces are here (like YES-like vocal harmonies, LED ZEPPELIN-like rocky mood, JETHRO TULL-like folksy nature and GENTLE GIANT-like top-notch approach to arrangements and complexity), and they are still very accessible, hard to call them THAT MUCH Prog sometimes. From eponymous opener to 26-min long highlight of the album each song shines with its own beauty! My favoritest ones are “The Groke”, dark in a typically Scandinavian way, and “A Dangerous Journey”, which is unbelievably strong from melodic point – I mean, you won’t tell it lasts for 26 minutes, it’s so catchy and memorable! Seriously it’s gonna be my Epic of the Year!!!

I simply don’t know whom to recommend this one; it’s so ECLECTIC that it may become EVERYONE’s favourite!!! Check it and have almost an hour of finest Eclectic Scandinavian Prog!!! I should return to check the other two as well that I have (on this positive wave of impression), I guess. Long live Scandinavian Prog!

When Ritual's last release, Think Like a Mountain, was released I was reviewing for the Dutch Progressive Rock Pages I knew next to nothing about the band. All I knew was that Patrik Lundstrom, their lead singer was also lending his talent in the then newly reformed Kaipa (and I had liked what I'd heard from him in that context). Think Like a Mountain was enough to set Ritual squarely in my sites as a band that warranted further investigation, and I soon acquired the re-master of their self titled debut album, which has become one of my favorite progressive albums of the modern era (post 1990). So when Ritual announced a forthcoming new release I was naturally curious to see what this band of shifting styles would offer this time around. I checked out their myspace page to get some idea of the new CD, and there it was: The Hemulic Voluntary Band. huh? I looked at the cover art, listened to the samples, and was hooked! Yes indeed, The Hemulic Voluntary Band! I ordered it immediately.

This album appeals to me on so many levels. From the artwork (done by Javier Herbozo-some of my favorite album artwork ever!), to the music, to the lyrics and concept, I have remarked to some that this is the album I have been waiting for, for a long time, but had no idea I had been waiting (ironically, Ritual asked in the last release 'What Are You Waiting For?'). On this new album, as on the others, Ritual's unabashed ecosophy (look it up on wikipedia!), wild imagination, and apparent reverence for the natural world is once again pervasive throughout, which (in this world of fast food, wholesale religious extremism, overzealous politicians (Blue Meanies!!), and pollution run rampant) endears them to me greatly. However, the presentation of the material on this release is pretty dramatically different form previous efforts. Here, the band has set down music which feels so intimate, even when it rocks, due (I think) mostly to the fact that there seems to be very little in the way of padding. You can almost always distinguish the four members playing their individual instruments without any heavy overdubbing, synth washing, crazy digital effects or fancy engineering (which they did on Think Like a Mountain. very very well I may add!!). Instead you get beautifully arranged textural ensemble based arrangements that range from the dense to the spare, acoustic and folksy to anthemic electric prog rock, from heavily contrapuntal (ala Gentle Giant) to transparent and serene, every moment of which could conceivably be reproduced faithfully in a live setting.

Keyboardists' choice of gear so often has so much to do with the definition of a band's sound-especially in prog, and Jon Gamble's certainly does here. He restricts himself on the album to Clavinet, Harmonium, Piano, and Rhodes, with playing that at times is reminiscent of Kerry Minnear's work. His style is textural and lyrical, subtle at times and funky at others. Frederik Lindqvist contributes an arsenal of eclectic instrumentation to the album, including Irish Bazouki, Dulcimer, recorders & whistles and, oh yeah, bass-and may I say that his bass playing is extremely exciting on this release (is your head isn't bobbing to his bass line during Waiting by the Bridge I suggest that you check your pulse to make sure you're still alive)! The drumming on THVB is not about flash or how many notes can possibly fit in a measure, but is instead all about groove and feel. Johan Nordgren offers up some of his tastiest stick work to date and also contributes some beautiful work on the Nyckelharpa, a kind of keyed fiddle. And of course there is the singular voice of Patrik Lundstrom, who also displays his formidable skills on acoustic and electric guitar. The wild intensity of Patrik's voice is still evident, but he seems to have less of an edge on this record, with a warmth, restraint, and range of emotion that is quite stunning and inspired (his falsetto will send shivers up and down your spine!). And collectively the band offer up some incredible vocal harmonies. I should also give mention to special guest Lovisa Hallstedt who offers moving violin work on the epic Dangerous Journey'.

The Hemulic Voluntary Band, while not strictly a concept album, does have a thematic thread that ties it all together. The band have used the works of Tove Jansson as a springboard for the majority of the text and stories here, all except for one tune which still fits right in with the overall vibe of the album. The use of language is great and the lyrics are extremely well done. To read more in depth about the premise of the album and of each piece, the band have provided extensive descriptions on their website. For these weary ears, this album is a breath of fresh air, a musical triumph and an artistic one, which takes the listener on a fantastical journey through a world where everything is possible and where imagination and ecology are the rules of the day. It reminds us that worlds of wonder are always available to us if we can just remember see the natural world and each precious moment of creation through the eyes of the eternal child. Highest praise for The Hemulic Voluntary Band!

And now I wonder why ever Ritual is Prog Related. Ritual has proven themselves to be quite unique indeed with their latest release, "The Heumulic Voluntary Band." Music that is plesant, upbeat, melodic, filled with counterpoint and polyrhythm can, witout a doubt, be found here. The opening title track is a smack right in the face, a true attention-getter with its wildly outlandish "swingy" beat and obscure counterpoints. I had to listen to it several times to be sure that it was not just a catchy song with nothing to it, but I found otherwise. There is a lot going on in this song! The tone is set right from the get-go, Ritual means business, but business in a playfull, artful sense. Their business is to entertain, and that they do. After the opening track, the listener is transported further into the otherworldly place of a famous Finnish Author's fairy tales. (I'm withholding the author's name for spoiler's sake). A pallate of different aesthetically pleasing tunes serve to carry the listener to the epic, "A Dangerous Journey." Taking up almost half of the album, his masterpiece tells the story of a young girl who looses her cat. It's playful, well-arranged, surprising, ecclectic, and yet somehow very cohesive. Patrik Lundström's vocals are top-notch, and the lyrics are a ton of fun to listen to. I felt like a child again while accompanying Ritual on their Dangerous Journey. If "Spock's Beard" was the ultimate let-down of 2007 for me, Ritual's "The Heumulic Voluntary Band" was the big surprise. This album blind-sided me, and I'm sure it will you to! If you wish to enjoy some playful tunes and a happy time, search no farther than this fine album. Ritual's Masterpiece is a Must Have! Five Stars.

Simply impossible to ignore.

What an album from Ritual, what an effort to deliver top quality music, lyrics AND artwork!! From the first notes, I thought:'Yummy, this is refreshing'. In fact, this album is a huge gingerbread cookie in a Gentle Giant shape!

Any fan of Gentle Giant will drool on this album from start to finish because as frosting, the whole package is based on some sort of fantasy voyage of the Moomins, invented by Tove Jansson. Beautifully drawed, the front page is just the beginning; I thought I was in some teenage fantasy litterature (like the Hobbit was).

The songs are fresh and absent of all the prog-metal clichés; only folk-rock a la Tull and complex structures and breaks a la Gentle Giant. Honestly, with Wobbler's Hinterland and Phideaux's Doomsday Afternoon, THIS is the top of the line for the old school progressive lovers. You cannot simply go wrong with this album, buy it eyes closed.

Ritual has officialy stepped into the court of the big guns and have my vote for album of the year, period.

As Robin would quote:'Holy logjams Batman, we've found it!'

The Hemulic Voluntary Band, Ritual´s fourth studio album, with its folk flavour, complex variations, unusual instruments and childlike inspiration, fulfils the journey of this band into a really progressive musical realm. All the tracks but 'In The Wild' inspired by Tove Jansson´s novels, it has beautiful polyrhythm, amazing arrangements and Patrik Lundström´s awesome vocals. You can find influences from Gentle giant, Jethro Tull and so on, but always with Ritual´s own personality which includes a lot of swing, as in the track that opens the album. Emotion is the main character here, with delightful themes like 'Late In November', a song full of sweet melancholy emphasized by the nyckelharpa and other traditional instruments. My favourite song is the one that opens the album and, of course, 'A Dangerous Journey', a 27 minutes long epic, a marvellous fairytale a la 'Alice in Wonderland'. Its first nine minutes are acoustic (guitar, bouzouki, harmonium, nyckelharpa), and then it becomes electric, sometimes in a jazz-night-club mood. No place for boredom in this stupendous work. Five stars.

Masterpiece on every level! I hadn't heard Ritual before this album, and I wasn't exactly quite sure what kind of music they were playing. However I had heard Kaipa, so I knew about what kind of vocals to expect, since the singer, Patrik Lundström, is the same.

This album consists of five shorter songs, and one massive epic in the end with the length of almost half an our. Almost every song is based on the novels by a Finland-Swedish author Tove Jansson, and the lyrics are generally original and inspiring. The vocals by Patrik Lundström couldn't be better.

The music is very melodic and it is in general very focused on catchy melodies throughout the album. There are no boring spots or songs. The way the music is built up reminds me about Gentle Giant every now and then, where lots of different patterns and melodies are made up to create this complex but working entirety. The music is well written and it's easy to listen.

My special attention goes to Dangerous Journey, which is probably the main song of this album. This epic tells a fascinating story that takes you into the world of hemulins and moomins and other creations of Tove Jansson's original fantasy. There are lots of acoustic parts here, but again it isn't boring at any point. It's a 26 minute marathon, so there are enough space for many different moods and different kinds of styles, including a heavier part somewhere at the end of the song.

This is for sure the best album I've heard in a while, and definitely deserves five out of five stars.

what an album.a ''prog ,folk , refreshing,moder,classic prog orgy ''

The Hemulic Voluntary Band is by far the best album of ritual. everithing in this album is geat.great sounds ,really good songs ,very complex playing,unusual instruments iand lots of talent. the 5 short song are all great andreally different and the log sons is a 26 minutes of prog heaven.Patrik Lundström is in geat shape [ like always] and his guitar playing is a lot better here that the others albums.Jon Gamble add a lot of colors and Fredrik Lindqvist and Johan Nordgren are in top form for this album.even the artwork of this album is first class. this is a masterpiece and really grows pretty good .if you love prog you should get this one

5 stars

This album is MAGICAL. After giving it a few run throughs I've concluded that it's one of the most enjoyable and fun albums in my collection. An underlying theme of rustic, folkish wilderness adds the occasional tinge of mystery and encourages the listener to discover the landscape that Ritual creates through their music. The lineup:

Hemulic Voluntary Band - This song is obviously dripping in Gentle Giant influence (which is a good thing of course) but is original in its own right and is a great way to kick off the album. There's a certain festive charm to it that gives off the air of a medieval "traveling-troubadour" personality-- it's catchy, playful, and fun. 4.5/5

In the Wild - One of my favorites on Hemulic and a great follow up to the upbeat introduction. The Lundstrom's vocals are enthusiastic and energetic while the background piano contributes an air of mystery. A short instrumental flows seamlessly into an introspective piano solo that manages to be both beautiful and moving without making the all-too-common mistake of treading into cheesy territories. By this point the song transitions into a steadily building and powerful guitar solo, after which the two solo instruments (guitar and piano) converge to complete the song. 5/5

Late in November - The album begins to wind down a bit here with the mellow Late in November, which features acoustic guitar, flute, and a fiddle. This piece intends to musically capture the spirit of the seasonal change from autumn to winter and does so very well. Lundstrom's voice becomes poignant and delicate, and while it is a straight-forward folk piece, it's pleasant one nonetheless. 4.5/5

The Groke - The Groke by itself isn't a song I'd enjoy so much by itself, in fact if not for the context of the rest of the album it would be a 2/5 at most. The Groke marks what is nearly a 180 degree turnaround from where we started off--it's eerie piece about a tortured spirit (?) haunting people at night. I'm not sure if it's an accordion but it adds greatly along with the to the darker ambient of the piece. 4/5

Waiting By the Bridge - Unfortunately a low point in the album for me. I just cannot get into this song. It's well played and very bright and upbeat, but I find the chorus annoying. Rating the album as a whole is difficult because of this song. An unfortunate 2/5

A Dangerous Journey - This 26+ minute epic is extremely well made. Based around Tove Jannson's Moomintroll series of stories and comic books, A Dangerous Journey reminds me of the forgotten wonder and magic in simple folk tales. The epic lover in me demands that I give this track a 5+/5

With the exception of "Waiting by the Bridge", the songs on this album are well-composed as invididual songs, and as a whole the album as a whole thoughtfully constructed as it transitions from one song to another. It's still a solid 5 star album for me.

One of Sweden's more criminally overlooked Prog Rock bands has released only a handful of studio albums over the last decade. But this year 2007 recording, their latest to date, is also their best effort so far.

The album's muscular but melodic style follows in the eclectic footprints of GENTLE GIANT at their mid-'70s peak, employing everything from conventional rock instrumentation to the more ethnic, folk-based sounds of bouzoukis, mandolins, dulcimers et al. And the syncopated clavinet used in the title track at the top of the album is clearly meant to provide an affectionate facsimile of the classic Gentle Giant sound, minus the distinctive croon of Derek Shulman (the sometimes strident voice of Ritual frontman Patrick Lundstrüm can be an acquired taste).

Several more short songs ably display the band's musical range, from the traditional Neo- Prog punch of "In The Wild" to the acoustic melancholy of "Late In November" and the toe- tapping Scandinavian funk of "Waiting By the Bridge". But the album highlight is unquestionably the ambitious 26-minute saga "A Dangerous Journey", the band's first attempt at a large scale, multi-chapter composition, and destined to be remembered as a career masterpiece.

If it were possible in these pages to award ratings to individual tracks, this one would easily be a five-star classic. Imagine GENESIS in 1972 having written a musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" instead of "Supper's Ready" (as always, the yardstick for any Prog Rock epic), and you'll have a rough idea of what to expect. Like the album title itself, the song is drawn from the literature of Finnish author Tove Jansson, in this case a 1977 picture book for children, beautifully reproduced (or at least paraphrased in the band's lyrics) in the CD booklet, with illustrations.

A truncated video clip of a live performance of the song can also be found on the band's Prog Archive page, filmed at their (so far) only Stateside gig, at the May 2008 ROSFest in suburban Philadelphia. The video quality stinks, but the sound is very good, and the song's haunting acoustic guitar and nyckelharpa introduction provides a nice contrast to their rockier mp3 music streams also available here.

It was, to this fan in attendance, the highlight of the entire three-day festival, and augurs well for the band's future. If they can build on the ambition of "A Dangerous Journey" in upcoming releases (a new studio album is in the works, as I write), Ritual may well become a major name in modern Prog Rock. And better late than never.

3.5 stars. In my opinion this is their best studio album so far. Most of the songs are based on fantasy books about these creatures called "Moomin" by a Finnish author.To my ears we get less of that World Music flavour from the band than we did on past albums. Many mention GENTLE GIANT and YES as influences that can be heard here. I did think of YES at one point.

"The Hemulic Voluntary Band" has such a great intro but the euphoria ends when the vocals come in. Everytime the vocals stop on this track i'm so impressed with the instrumental work. A YES vibe after 3 minutes pops up. "In The WIld" also starts amazingly well then it settles as the vocals arrive. Great sound after 4 minutes as the guitar lights it up. "Late In November" is melancholic with reserved vocals.We get some bouzouki here along with flute and acoustic guitar. We get some brief vocals and backing vocals only after 3 1/2 minutes. "The Groke" has this fairly heavy and repetitive beat as vocals join in. "Waiting By The Bridge" has almost a reggae vibe to it with vocals. "A Dangerous Journey" is the 26 1/2 minute closer. It's very acoustic sounding early on as the vocals join in. A change before 4 minutes as it turns dark until around 7 1/2 minutes when the sounds lightens again. A change before 9 minutes with almost spoken vocals. It kicks back in before 11 minutes.The guitar is crying out before 15 minutes. Vocals return 18 minutes in then we get another change before 19 1/2 minutes. Guitar and a heavier sound before 21 1/2 minutes then the tempo picks up with vocals. It settles down to end it.

If you've liked any of their earlier albums don't even hesitate to get this one.

I would like this album even more were the story/lyrics not about the life of a bunch of rodents. (Literally!) I like the GENTLE GIANT, YES and JETHRO TULL influences and "In the Wild" and "Late November" are definite prog classics. Sometimes sounds a bit like THE DECEMBERISTS--especially the 27-minute epic, "A Dangerous Journey." Wish there were more efforts to layer vocal harmonies as in the 18th minute of "A Dangerous Journey."

***** 5 stars: "In the Wild," "Late in November" **** 4 stars: "The Groke," "Waiting By The Bridge," "The Hemulic Voluntary Band," and (could be 5 stars were the lyrics more relevant and the musical shifts more varied stylistically and in tempo:) "A Dangerous Journey."

This is not the Ritual of the past. The present incarnation seems to produce music not disimilar to Gentle Giant.This makes it more technical than aesthetic, so it doesn't keep me warm.

Anyway, I reckon that this album is pretty much only about the first two tracks, because after that the focus and quality fall. The 'Hemulic voluntary band' and 'In the wild' are really interesting, complex and catchy. the next three tracks fell more medieval than contemporary, and this holds little appeal for me.

The last track, 'A dangerous journey' lasts some 26 minutes, and yet involves a painstakingly slow, brooding and repetitive build up, culminating in... well, not enough really. It's certainly no classic.

Because I downloaded the album at a reasonable price, I'm not too disappointed by the result. It was always a risk in terms of taste, despite me really liking one of their earlier albums. It didn't pan out this time because their style has changed. I enjoyed the first two tracks though.

Rarely does an album craft so magical a musical experience as Ritual's The Hemulic Voluntary Band. Various themes and melodies start to become unforgettable from the first listen. This enchanting voyage conjures up a number of moods, ranging from the nostalgia of "Late in November" to the eager anticipation of "Waiting by the Bridge," from the menacing fear that is "The Groke" to the fanatical delight of "The Hemulic Voluntary Band" and "Into the Wild." A microcosm of the album, the centerpiece is the 26-minute suite "A Dangerous Journey." Most of the lyrics are inspired by Tove Jansson's Moomin series, which involves fantastical creatures with various personalities and adventures. I have fallen in love with this heterogeneous musical treasure.

"The Hemulic Voluntary Band" Quirky and inviting, the opener fuses catchy melodies with complex instrumentation. The convoluted guitars and the thumping of the bass should immediately please the Gentle Giant fans among us. The quiet, bass-led passage is just what the doctor ordered amid the joyful clamor.

"In the Wild" Adventurous and melodically portentous, the second tune continues to engage the listener with complex yet satisfying instrumentation and vocals. Reinterpreting the music with piano only midway through provides a glorious respite that is at once calming and deceptive- a guitar shrieks and tosses the listener right back into the sonic tempest.

"Late In November" Harmonium and harmonica whine mournfully over acoustic guitar, leading into a peacefully sweet vocal melody wrapped around redolent lyrics that make use of alliteration and provide the listener with a glimpse into the mind of the nomadic Snufkin, who leaves his best friend Moomintroll every fall for warmer weather. The gorgeous harmonies are a warm breeze on a chilly autumn afternoon.

"The Groke" This brooding, overawing song has a wonderfully lumbering main theme and a heavy bass riff during the lofty refrain. The Groke is a large, ghostly creature that radiates a deathly chill, and although she seeks warmth and friendship, winds up extinguishing both, and is thus kept in perpetual cold and loneliness.

"Waiting by the Bridge" If ever there was a song to bring cheer and lift the spirits, it's this one: Ritual provides a happy-go-lucky tune with enthusiastic lyrics about meeting his old friend again- Moomintroll eagerly awaits the return of Snufkin, who is to return in the spring, and describes the fun they will have together. The bass stands out here, providing a hearty groove under the merry and jaunty singing.

"A Dangerous Journey" Weaving multiple passages and themes into a unified epic is in itself a dangerous journey, but like the discontented Susanna, Ritual finds success. Susanna had a strange adventure involving Hemulen, Thingumy and Bob, a volcano, Sniff, Snufkin, Wimsey, onion soup, a party in the valley with the Moomins, and one growing cat, and Ritual uses the breadth of their musical arsenal to depict each part of the expedition. Beginning with a beautiful acoustic theme led by harmonium, the piece eventually explores wistful folk, dazzling symphonic rock, easygoing jazz, and whatever comes in between. The result is a charming and fascinating suite flaunting simultaneously the eclecticism and consistency of Ritual and concluding a wonderful masterpiece of progressive rock music.

I did not expect such a good job, original and transcendent of this modest band. Power, finesse, richness instrumental.

The album introduces with two pieces consistent and energetic, with gentle piano sections In The Wild, very successful.

The next topic, Late in November, is an acoustic gem. Guitars, harmonica, flute to coat a beautiful lyric. The Groke is somewhere in between. With drums protagonists, and Harmonium in parts implemented. Waiting by the Bridge is entertaining and enjoyable, not great, but plays a good role in the whole work.

The last issue, A Dangerous Journey, is superb, singular. Very acoustic and additional instruments achieved a special atmosphere. It grows in intensity and changing direction cohesively. A very good suite overflowing imagination and never loses interest. Magnificent!

Although, as I wrote before, Lundström's voice is not my greatest pleasure, but in Ritual I find it more acceptable than Kaipa. Maybe it's the texture of the songs.

Don't be spooked by the monsters on the cover art - see, they're wearing pretty dresses, they're trying to be welcoming and unthreatening. In fact, they're probably supposed to be Hemulens, creatures from the Moomin books by Tove Jonsson (though the band probably couldn't get a licence to put Jansson's charming artwork on the cover), since the album lyrics are largely inspired by that series. Stylistically, what you get here is very much styled after the classic prog artists of the past, with Jethro Tull-esque folk influences and medieval allusions reminiscent of Gentle Giant or Gryphon.

There's also a strong Genesis influence not so much in terms of the actual music itself (though there's the odd flash of that), but in terms of the overall pastoral mood and, especially, the strong emphasis on theatrical storytelling that early Genesis always excelled at so well. Overall, a great little piece for those who like a fat dose of whimsical fantasy and a good story nestled in their progressive rock albums.