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With records, I usually dive into the predominantly acoustic tasting in a similar way, especially when it comes to a good piece of vinyl. In the case of BLOOD CEREMONY, their latest output initially found its way to my computer only in digital form and from there into the system, so I had to make do with packaging in the form of digitally processed pixels. But that shouldn't significantly diminish the enjoyment.
What was there to discover? First of all, the genre-typical ingredients. Mysteriously looking artists in front of heavy dark red velvet curtains in shady buildings, in front of wrought iron gates, but also comfortably sitting in a pub with a good beer instead of the silver chalice with the red grape fermentation product shows me that the lady and gentlemen do not have to immerse themselves in clichés at all costs.
So much for the outer appearance. If I may draw an analogy to the aforementioned Scottish noble distillate once again, I would like to point out regarding BLOOD CEREMONY that it is a genuine black distillery, whose path I have been following since their self-titled debut in 2008, which impressed me greatly at the time. With 'Lord Of Misrule', we now have the fourth opus from the three gentlemen from Toronto featuring their charismatic voice Alia O’Brien.
What is offered? Well, it seems that the lady and gentlemen agree – nothing is as it seems. Instead of mercilessly swinging the classic doom club in the best Sabbath manner – which they certainly master – the listener is greeted with an album of enormous musical diversity. Certainly retro-influenced, but what sets this band apart from other scene giants like THE OATH, JEX THOTH, GRAVEYARD, or BLUES PILLS are the many seemingly effortlessly woven elements from psychedelic, space, and folk rock, a broader variety of instruments used, and of course the female vocals with the use of the flute, which will likely lead every music journalist to make the almost inevitable comparison with JETHRO TULL.
But 'Lord Of Misrule' offers the listener anything but lukewarm retro broth for the flared-pants-wearing felt-haired doomer. It contains an unexpected abundance of melodies.
In the opener, one initially feels still in familiar territory. It starts with a shallow harmless intro, then suddenly kicks off with an official riff and the cited flute, impressively stomping along at mid-tempo, but then knows how to build up into a beautiful melodic second part to a small epic, before the initial intro unexpectedly leads into the final chorus and fades out as mystically as it began, disappearing into the no man's land of half-tone harmony as if it had never been there.
The second track 'Loreley' comes entirely differently, almost poppy. It could have successfully played on radio stations in 1968, but despite its flower-power lightness, it impresses with an impressive instrumental depth. Am I hearing a Mellotron in the interlude and at the end?
Track number four would probably be considered a successful apprentice piece even by the wizard Mr. Iommi himself – at first. Because suddenly the song tips into a lively folk number with a flute solo. Anyone who might think that the compositional powder is spent will be absolutely proven wrong by the following track – the title track. What the people brewed together in their magical cauldron shoots miles beyond their previously set musical boundaries. A number that bursts with joy of playing and forces anyone with a somewhat present sense of rhythm into involuntary twitches in their extremities.
Track five is a light folk number that, starting with a simple but captivating and extremely catchy riff and earworm chorus, immediately captivates the listener. Just when you think you’ve completely understood the song after 3:45 minutes, it really kicks into high gear. The much-cited flute sets the new direction after a brief break. And this is called Grande Finale. The tempo is raised and the song turns again into a respectable ending solo.
In number six, we are greeted by a ballad that can only be described as wonderful. Like fog over a high moor, the voice floats over the 3/4 time of a delicate melody that sends shivers down your spine. What is created here in terms of mystical atmosphere with very simple means pushes many wannabe gothic clowns far into the sidelines. Thus, melancholy is created musically and not otherwise - period!
Track seven is structured similarly to the second number. A lively psychedelic dance number, eons away from the dark tritone creaking, it screws itself into the ear canals and stubbornly sticks there. In number eight, they once again show what they have already proven on previous albums. A genuine doom number that has it all. Neck muscle-stimulating mid-tempo, powerful riffing, roaring Hammond organ, wah-wah solo, and the voice! My goodness!
The album concludes with a ballad that is completely different from the previously mentioned one, yet feels like its second part. Mystical lyrics, overlapping melodic arcs at the end – hauntingly beautiful.
Conclusion:
I had certain expectations and received much more. For me, a highlight in a long time – across genres! A work whose boundaries seem defined but reach far beyond that. A retro album, of course. But nothing here feels forced, nothing artificially elevated. An opus that, may the horned forgive me the expression, is simply fun, whose joy of playing is infectious and the quiet moments touch deeply. I cannot identify any outstanding tracks, not a single failure. The length of 44 minutes is perfectly fine. Music for all who do not wear blinders and are willing to take a look beyond their genre boundaries. Two thumbs up.
