RITUAL

I decided to write the first review after a long time about this short EP from a band which is in my opinion a wonder among contemporary prog artists (and not only). Original Swedish folk-proggers exist for some 30 years by now,having released 4 albums, last being "The Hemulic Voluntary Band" over 15 years ago. I met them in 2013 on a concert for about few dozens of listeners in a park in Gothenburg and that was among the greatest music experiences I witnessed (including my favorite prog giants such Yes, Steve Hackett, Pain of Salvation..), if not the greatest. Yet, Ritual is largely unknown, even in the prog circles which is in a way a mystery to me. I understood they don't like all marketing stuff, so they do not promote themselves much on social media... However, this band is HUGE when it comes to talent and music itself. The EP coming suddenly out of nowhere 3 years ago, sounds that aspires to be among their best music ever, having in mind that they already released albums reaching to 5 stars in the past.

On this little masterpiece, we again have a concentration of a very unique music mix with elements including Yes (at their best in early 70s or 80s) melodic sense, vocal/arrangement acrobatics of early Queen, complexity/playfulness of Gentle Giant, and important folk part reminding Led Zeppelin/Jethro Tull. We can also hear their distinctive instruments like bouzouki or nyckelharpha still in their arsenal. Lyrical concept, judging from the excerpts, reminds of The Lamb, or Tommy but more uplifting, tongue-in-cheek way as in Ritual's tradition. However not in a shallow way, it's an emotional roller-coaster. 4 tracks contain everything from the opening ultra-catchy yet complex track, through demonic lunatic carousel and frenetic Nordic folk ride, to the prog/operatic climax of The Mice. Patrick Lundstrom's voice (also Kaipa) is in a perfect shape, same 25 (!) years before this on their self-titled album. His guitar work is stellar, too. Actually, all 4 musicians (still original line-up) show again equally great performances, in their prime - astonishing amount of talent, variety, energy, musicianship and creativity. Just listen and get immersed into it.

The final question is, will the complete creation, one of the most anticipated albums of (at least) this decade, see the light of the day?

"Glimpses from the Story of Mr Bogd" really? You better produce with a title like that. Fear not, we have a little shiny gem here. Let's clear away the mud and see what we've got. Chichikov kicks off with a pleasing acoustic folk intro before driving off with foot tapping head nodding rhythm. If my knees weren't shot I'd be bopping. Tilly comes into view with a pleasingly stuttering waltz - he leads into the Hall of Mirrors at the Fairground. The three heads arrive with vocals and acoustic with an eastern vibe. The mice (9 min): apparently nobody cares. Well, we have forest paths spear wielding maidens, paths to hell ... and luckily a god wakes to help the humble mice (both mice and forest are saved - woohoo) Hmm. We have all the musical chops and changes, we are familiar with in prog and it ends with a cliched return to the acoustic & vocal and thunder rumbling in the background. It's not bad, but it's not great. So what promised to be a diamond turned out to be a quartz. A nice quartz but not an essential part of the collection. If The Mice had nailed it this would have been a 5* contender. As it is it's still an excellent addition to any collection.

I keep playing Chichikov as a pick me up. It's great.

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.

This is a reissue of Ritual's 1995 debut album (which originally came out on Musea) and is certainly interesting, with some songs very different to other material within the current prog scene. Some of that is due to the line-up and instruments being used as while Patrik Lundstr'm (vocals, electric/ acoustic guitars) is fairly straightforward (although it must be mentioned that among his many sins are fronting the pop trio Blond at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin in 1997), the rest of the band are Fredrik Lindqvist (bass, bouzouki, mandola, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, recorders tin whistles, vocals), Johan Nodrgen (drums, percussion, mallets, jew's harp, vocals) and Jon Gamble (keyboards, harmonica, vocals). This does mean that the listener isn't at all sure what the songs are going to be like, one to the next. Add a guest violinist among others and here is a band that really does want to be taken as being progressive, not 'regressive'.

Some of the songs are much closer to folk than anything else, while others just belt along and of course some do both. Patrik's vocals are very clear, and he is as much at home singing gently in 'The Way Of Things' or stretching out when the need is required. That song is a million miles away from 'Typhoons decide' which is far more complex and dynamic, with lots of movement between different styles

An album that progheads would do well to seek out. They are very different to the rest of the 'neo-prog' crowd and it is always good to hear a band that are trying to take prog into new directions.

originally appeared in Feedback #78, April 2004

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.

Basically a nightmare to review!

There's alot going on. A lot of creativity, some interesting rhythms, which ultimately tend to dominate proceedings, the usual Swedish eccentricity, and all of which is within the confines of Ritual's sound!

Where it fails, is that no thought appears to have been made about putting the songs together in a cohesive album! It's all over the place!

I also found it difficult to warm to. It's almost like an album without heart.

Ultimately, the creativity and the rhythms make it worthy of a listen, and it's not a bad album at all. But it could have been better. I had to persevere simply because it WAS Ritual.

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.

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.

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."

It's funny that this is considered by their fans to be the least favourite yet it's the one I like the most. It's pretty straightforward music without that World-Music flavour that is prevelant with their others. And it's their most powerful album as well. It's loud.The band thanks THE FLOWER KINGS, ANEKDOTEN, GALLEON and Hansi Cross among others in the liner notes.

"Do You Want To See The Sun" has a heavy beat with vocals to start then it kicks in at the chorus as these contrasts continue. Catchy stuff. "Lobby" is also catchy and loud. "Sadly Unspoken" features strummed guitar as the vocals join in. "Did I Go Wrong" has this dark and heavy intro then it lightens when the vocals come in.The heaviness does come and go.

"6/8" opens with violin but it kicks in quickly with vocals. It's more powerful 1 1/2 minutes in as contrasts continue. "Coming Home" is an uplifting and powerful tune. "Into The Heat" is uptempo with vocals. "Really Something" has a heavy beat with vocals. "Mothersong" is another powerful track. "Golden Angel" opens with strummed guitar as the vocals join in. It does pick up and we get some clapping after 3 minutes. "Dinosaur Spaceship" opens with disonance and drums as the vocals join in.This rocks out pretty good as well. "A Voice Of Divinity" features piano and laid back vocals. Not a fan of this one.

3.5 stars