RITUAL

While I generally agree with the other enthusiastic reviews of this album, I just wanted to add some comments on the sound quality. There is a noticeable amount of hiss, particularly between songs, and the bass drums are cranked way up high. On my car stereo, I have the bass and treble turned up all the way because that's the way I like it. But when I play this CD, the bass of the drums overload my speakers, causing them to distort wildly. I have to push a bunch of buttons and go through a couple of menus in order to adjust the bass so I can hear this one CD. (Remember when you could adjust the bass by just turning a knob?) Anyway, the atmosphere on this album is brilliant, and it makes up for any other perceived shortcomings, in my opinion. But I am surprised no one has commented on the somewhat primitive sound quality. Oh, and the break between the last two songs is clumsy, like someone inserted a track separator in the wrong spot, and it turned into a gap of silence in an awkward place. I am going to seek out the vinyl, because I think it may sound better.