Blood Ceremony - CD Discography (2008-2016, 4CD)

×

Blood Ceremony - CD Discography (2008-2016, 4CD)

Close

Blood Ceremony is a Canadian psychedelic rock band formed in 2006 in Toronto, Ontario. Blood Ceremony's style has been described as "flute-tinged witch rock" and their lyrics are filled with black magic imagery and references to classic horror films. The band is fronted by singer/flutist/organist Alia O'Brien, whose flute solos are reminiscent of Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson.

×

Blood Ceremony - CD Discography (2008-2016, 4CD)

Close

Speaking as someone who takes any chance he can to revel in nostalgia over his hobby, Blood Ceremony came right out of left field and smacked me right upside the memory banks. Fusing a Sabbath-inspired storm of bluesy, bleak riffing with the folk flutes of Jethro Tull would be one thing, but this Canadian band goes a few steps beyond with Alia O'Brien's classic female rock voice, and a clear inspiration taken from early occult horror cinema. Their self-titled debut Blood Ceremony is both groovy and creepy, and a great fix for an afternoon of inhalations and fond remembrances. The mix of the album is fully in line with its nature. Though more vibrant than their 70s counterparts, the guitars dial back the distortion to a simpler time, infused with both melody and menace. The flutes and sparse organs shine through perfectly, the album feels like a live performance in your Johnny Bravo decorated living space. The drums are tin and crashing, the bass is laid back. When the album crushes, it does so with a swagger: "Return to Forever" is vintage Sabbath, along with the take-no-prisoners grooves of "I'm Coming With You". When the album calms, it is every bit as convincing: instrumental "A Wind of Wizardry" glistens with folk acoustics and flutes that hearken back to decades, even centuries past. "Hop Toad" jams, and "Hymn to Pan" haunts with a vengeance, developing into a terrifying trip with its irresponsible slather of organs and evil. Many bands attempt to evoke the 60s and 70s, but only a few modern efforts have truly brought me back into the folded arms of those antiquated times. Alongside Sweden's Witchcraft, Blood Ceremony are one of the most successful. O'Brien's vocals are not always 100% interesting, they could use some more peaks and valleys rather than the often dull plodding within a safe range. A few of the riffs may be weaker than others, but in the end, the entire album shines as a single listening experience.
www.metal-archives.com

×

Blood Ceremony - CD Discography (2008-2016, 4CD)

Close

Blood Ceremony’s album, ‘Living with the Ancients’, seems to have thrown up a wide variety of responses, some thinking it’s amazing, some OK, and some seem to think it just doesn’t work. Well, I definitely fall into the category of loving this album. The music here is that 60/70’s retro doom sound that quite a few bands seem to be playing at the moment, although Blood Ceremony in my opinion are one of the bands doing better than the majority of the pack, mixing in flute and organ elements along with female vocals that all blend seamlessly into their music. From the first song on the album, ‘The Great God Pan’, I was hooked on the retro vibe that was on show here. The guitars are great on all 9 tracks, showing some great 70’s riffs but also some great lead work that when entangled with the work of Alia O’Brien (Vocals, Organ, Flute) sounds unbelievable. Talking of Alia O’Brien, I must say I am more impressed with her on this album than on previous efforts as everything she does here just seems so much better than on their s/t release. In fact, I would go as far to say this release surpasses their s/t in nearly every way (and I love their s/t album)! The drum work whilst not being spectacular fits the music perfectly and the same can be said for the bass. Like I said, everything just seems to fit here. With the album clocking in at just under an hour, it isn’t short enough to feel like you have been short-changed, but also not too long that you feel like blasting something else out through the speakers. The album cover is OK, again nothing special, and I do probably prefer the cover for their s/t, but that doesn’t detract in any way from the music being played here! If you are not into retro-sounding doom/heavy metal, then I wouldn’t bother picking this up as you will probably not like it. If you are however, then I can’t recommend this album enough as everything just seems to slot into place nicely and gives great replay value as I’m still engrossed when listening to this even after many, many spins! The flute and organ elements really add something to this album and really do make it a stand out. The cd of 2011 so far! As I said, this isn’t for everyone, but for those that dig this sound, well, you are in for a treat!

www.metal-archives.com

×

Blood Ceremony - CD Discography (2008-2016, 4CD)

Close

Toronto, Canada's Blood Ceremony released their third and best album to date earlier this year. I admit that I'm a late comer this band, having missed their two previous releases. However, after hearing this I went back to listen to the first two. Although their early work is good and has some really special moments, it seems as though they put all of that together on 'The Eldritch Dark'. Being labeled as "occult rock" or "psychedelic rock" is what peaked my interest. Recently I have been all over this scene looking for that stand out album. Bands like The Devil's Blood and Jess and the Ancient Ones have some really good stuff, most notably the 'Come Reap' ep from the Devil's Blood and the song "Astral Sabbat" from Jess and the Ancient Ones. Where these two bands fail to make complete memorable albums, Blood Ceremony succeeds with 'The Eldritch Dark'. 'The Eldritch Dark' starts out with a bang on the opening track "Witchwood". You can hear the multitude of influences here. Think Jethro Tull meets Jefferson Airplane meets Blue Oyster Cult with Black Sabbath riffs. Alia O'Brien's vocals are superb and her use of the organ and flute add to the atmosphere. Sean Kennedy's guitar playing is excellent and the interplay between him and Alia's flute on this track sets the stage for what is a flawless album. There are no throw away's on here at all. The album builds momentum as it moves along. Each track providing the listener with an other worldly experience. The acoustic and folkish song "Lord Summerisle" sees the pair of Gadke and O'Brien harmonizing vocally and the lyrics and title are obviously referencing the 1973 classic film 'The Wicker Man'. The two strongest tracks here are the title track and "Drawing Down the Moon". The prior being a very heavy riff oriented song and Alia's vocals here are so strong. The Sabbath style riffs are in full force here and shows off the more doomy side of the band. The latter shows off the psychedelic side of the band. It's sweeping organs and eerie yet beautiful melodies take center stage here. At the three minute mark a heavy groovy riff kicks in and Alia shouts out "we welcome you to the sabbat" which sends chills down your spine. The music here harkens back to the best of 1970's hard rock and 1960's psychedilia. Hammond organ, Sabbathian guitar tones, the familiar vocal lines that Grace Slick made famous with Jefferson Airplane, and the folkish flute sections that one can't help but compare to Jethro Tull. Alia O'Brien's triple threat of vocals, organ, and flute take center stage here as they should, but Kennedy's guitar work is slick and his riffs add the heaviness. The rythem section of Gadke (bass) and Carrillo (drums) provide the perfect backdrop for this familiar yet unique sound. However, this is not just another retro band. While they do use these elements, they give them a fresh new sound making this album stand out amongst all others in this genre. The lyrics on this album also seperate Blood Ceremony from their peers. The standard satanic themes from most bands in the "occult rock" scene are left behind for the old gods, mythological creatures, astrology and paganism. Guitarist Sean Kennedy writes all the lyrics, and though one might feel they are childish, they absolutely work and are very well crafted. Although I was slightly upset that vocalist Alia O'Brien didn't write them, she totally does them justice with her ability to write amazing vocal lines. 'The Eldritch Dark' is a complete album. I look forward to future release from this band. Blood Ceremony takes "occult rock" to new levels by displaying all of its strengths and none of its weaknesses. This is one of the best and most memorable albums of 2013. Go out and buy this album and show this amazing band the support they deserve.

www.metal-archives.com

×

Blood Ceremony - CD Discography (2008-2016, 4CD)

Close

Conceived in 2006, on the eve of the occult rock revival, Toronto’s Blood Ceremony have torn themselves apart from the pack through rich combinations of psychedelia, folk rock, and frontwoman Alia O’Brien’s fondness for spirited flutes and organs. Their fondness of Hammer horror aesthetics and the dark side of the 60’s may be less novel, but nevertheless makes them a perfect crown jewel in Rise Above Records’ impressive roster. Three years have passed since the enthralling The Eldritch Dark was released, on which the band let their folk side take a front seat. With Lord Of Misrule, the midnight revelry makes a return in a collection of supremely addictive tunes, performed with the theatrical passion that has become a trademark of the band. Jumping straight into the thick of it, “The Devil’s Widow” is an immediately brilliant addition to the Blood Ceremony canon. With an upbeat and punchy hook, a ferocious chorus, and a soft acoustic interlude before the final blow, the track feels like an amalgamation of the best parts of the band’s previous efforts. Similar things hold true for the title track, and the almost frustratingly catchy “Old Fires”, all three of which are instant earworms that somehow become better for each subsequent spin. Despite feeling like archetypical Blood Ceremony numbers, these songs are more tightly constructed around O’Brien’s voice, a worthwhile change considering this is her greatest performance yet. Having altered her vocals somewhat for The Eldritch Dark to better fit the folk rock overtones, Lord Of Misrule sees O’Brien move between those soft-spoken ditties to a far more intense performance in the blink of an eye, perfectly mirroring the dualistic nature that Blood Ceremony’s music has reached. Improving upon past performances is well and good, but Blood Ceremony have pushed their sound in new directions with every new release. There’s a late 60’s hippie streak running throughout Lord Of Misrule, pushing the band into new territories when they’re not busy perfecting their core sound. The flower power atmosphere is an interesting departure from the band’s darker fare, and tracks such as “Loreley” lay closer to The Beatles than they to Coven or Black Widow. The change feels a little out of place at first, but the core of Blood Ceremony has always been midnight merriment and Hellfire Club-style pagan devilry, rather than dour-faced Satanism. Seen in light of the bacchanalian hedonism running through Lord Of Misrule, the lighter touch of these songs slot in neatly alongside the more overtly occult psychedelia. Blood Ceremony have become experts at conveying diabolical debauchery and carousing as a jolly good time, without sacrificing substance, a feat that few other are able to pull off. With fantastic and relentlessly catchy tunes such as “Half Moon Street” and “Old Fires”, interspersed with tender balladry and flowery ditties, Lord Of Misrule might be the group’s finest album to date. Only in the past week I must have listened to the album 20 or 30 times, and will surely be cavorting with the satyrs, cultists, and blazing bonfires for many nights to come.

www.metal-archives.com