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.