Music Review: Blood Ceremony - Blood Ceremony

There are two touchstones that every press release or review regarding this album is bound by law to invoke: Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull. I figure that getting these inevitable references out of the way now is best for everybody involved. As cliché as it is to fall back on tired x + y comparisons, I still haven’t hit upon a more direct way of encapsulating Blood Ceremony’s take on psychedelic doom.

Bright, trebly, yet undeniably heavy guitar riffs form the core of Blood Ceremony’s sound, buzzing with clarity not typically found amidst the sludge of doom. At the heart of each song is a Sabbathian guitar riff or two stretched to epic lengths. Blood Ceremony get lost in some pretty heavy grooves, but each song feels appropriately tight and structured, with only one track crossing the seven-minute mark. Nothing here feels indulgent, despite the occasional flirtations with prog rock, nor do they ever sound as unidirectional and myopic as some other doom acts. Blood Ceremony takes their psych pedigree seriously and tosses enough twists, turns, and unexpected climaxes into each song to keep things fresh and appropriately cosmic.

There are a few unique touches that give Blood Ceremony an unmistakable sound. First, and most prominent, are the jazz-inflected flute solos that wind through each track, weaving complex and serpentine melodies into the space between chords. This welcome addition gives the music an unexpected grace, often providing the necessary melodic hook to guide the listener's ear through rolling waves of distorted guitar. This is a band that doesn’t assault the listener, but isn’t content to just groove hypnotically either. While there is a time and place for both of those approaches, Blood Ceremony’s commitment to writing engaging, propulsive songs is downright refreshing in a genre that often seems like a contest to see who can play the heaviest music.

Article Author: Bryan McKay

Bryan McKay is a freelance media artist, filmmaker, and writer. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.

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