Ritual
Gig Seeker Pro

Ritual

Band Rock Metal

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"www.stonerrockchick.com"

Ritual is a welcome Canadian addition to the rock scene. On hiatus for a very long time, they have resurfaced with a great album and a bright future.

I stumbled upon Ritual a while ago while browsing through mp3.com’s latest stoner rock/rock offerings and was immediately impressed by 'Vane', a song contained on this CD as well and the song that pretty much sucked me in. So it was with great delight and curiosity I put on Ritual’s album. It’s really unfortunate that labels can be so constricting because Ritual are not your standard ‘stoner rock’ nor are they your standard mainstream rock. Very punchy, fuzzy and aggressive, Ritual have a consistently rocking album.

Track one, Francesca’ is good but nothing really spectacular. Some good riffs and a good vibe. The real goodies start with ‘Dissipate’ and ‘Happy?’ Dissipate is an exercise in fuzz and high energy. There is a touch of southern here as well as catchy as hell lyrics and hooks. ‘Happy?’ is anything but – heavy and aggressive without being too polished and clean, a great head banging, body-shaking trip. This entire album will go over well with almost any group of listeners of the heavy. ‘Ritual’ is very talented and the music on the disc shows that they have been playing for a while. Not amateur in any way shape or form.


Ritual manages to do what few bands can. Remain accessible to the mainstream listeners as well as provide the underground with music that you cannot help but like. This is an experience for hard rock lovers. It’s really good, diverse in structure and appeals to the ear on first listen. It’s surprising that considering the great promotional material Ritual sends out (a full CD and a bio), this band is not signed. This is one band that takes playing seriously. After a long hiatus it’s really great to have another act to listen to and contribute to the Canadian underground scene and hopefully the recognition will follow.


Have a listen to Ritual. They will be playing gigs, so I hope that you’ll like this review enough to give Ritual a listen and judge for yourselves.

- Deanna St.Croix


"www.stonerrockchick.com"

Ritual is a welcome Canadian addition to the rock scene. On hiatus for a very long time, they have resurfaced with a great album and a bright future.

I stumbled upon Ritual a while ago while browsing through mp3.com’s latest stoner rock/rock offerings and was immediately impressed by 'Vane', a song contained on this CD as well and the song that pretty much sucked me in. So it was with great delight and curiosity I put on Ritual’s album. It’s really unfortunate that labels can be so constricting because Ritual are not your standard ‘stoner rock’ nor are they your standard mainstream rock. Very punchy, fuzzy and aggressive, Ritual have a consistently rocking album.

Track one, Francesca’ is good but nothing really spectacular. Some good riffs and a good vibe. The real goodies start with ‘Dissipate’ and ‘Happy?’ Dissipate is an exercise in fuzz and high energy. There is a touch of southern here as well as catchy as hell lyrics and hooks. ‘Happy?’ is anything but – heavy and aggressive without being too polished and clean, a great head banging, body-shaking trip. This entire album will go over well with almost any group of listeners of the heavy. ‘Ritual’ is very talented and the music on the disc shows that they have been playing for a while. Not amateur in any way shape or form.


Ritual manages to do what few bands can. Remain accessible to the mainstream listeners as well as provide the underground with music that you cannot help but like. This is an experience for hard rock lovers. It’s really good, diverse in structure and appeals to the ear on first listen. It’s surprising that considering the great promotional material Ritual sends out (a full CD and a bio), this band is not signed. This is one band that takes playing seriously. After a long hiatus it’s really great to have another act to listen to and contribute to the Canadian underground scene and hopefully the recognition will follow.


Have a listen to Ritual. They will be playing gigs, so I hope that you’ll like this review enough to give Ritual a listen and judge for yourselves.

- Deanna St.Croix


"Rock Under (Argentina)"

Four kids from Canada smile in the only picture that portraits them in the booklet. A booklet with little information, just their names, contacts and some thanks, all dyed darkly. Four kids from Canada that edited a disc. Fourteen tracks that relate the urgency of metal, the depressed climate of the Deftones, a singer with his own nuances like the lead singer of Faith No More, a disc with much strength and worked longwindedly. Very elaborated songs but no less incendiary. Ritual shows that in the genre of Metal, there is still much that can happen - http://www.ru.com.ar


"Rock Under (Argentina)"

Four kids from Canada smile in the only picture that portraits them in the booklet. A booklet with little information, just their names, contacts and some thanks, all dyed darkly. Four kids from Canada that edited a disc. Fourteen tracks that relate the urgency of metal, the depressed climate of the Deftones, a singer with his own nuances like the lead singer of Faith No More, a disc with much strength and worked longwindedly. Very elaborated songs but no less incendiary. Ritual shows that in the genre of Metal, there is still much that can happen - http://www.ru.com.ar


"PSYCOTIC . S . T . (France)"

RITUAL is a superb Canadian group which combines all its influences in a melting pot which holds at the same time rock'n'roll fusion, nu-metal, the stoner rock, and the hardwares of FM radio. The result is a combination of driving music with great emotion on certain pieces. I think in particular of songs like "Dissipate", "Evolving" and "Choices" which are really touching. This is due mainly to the superb voice of their singer, Sean Harley (which does not remove any qualities of the other musicians but shows that the stoner rock'n'roll can also be very moving). The other pieces have more of a return-inside and are not quite as convincing and so certain songs, like "Vane", combine with wonder originality and effectiveness, others like "Happy?" leave me a little on the hungry side. This said, this disc is undoubtedly better than the last Dozer which has succeeded in dislodging it's self in my turntable. - Alain Petit


"PSYCOTIC . S . T . (France)"

RITUAL is a superb Canadian group which combines all its influences in a melting pot which holds at the same time rock'n'roll fusion, nu-metal, the stoner rock, and the hardwares of FM radio. The result is a combination of driving music with great emotion on certain pieces. I think in particular of songs like "Dissipate", "Evolving" and "Choices" which are really touching. This is due mainly to the superb voice of their singer, Sean Harley (which does not remove any qualities of the other musicians but shows that the stoner rock'n'roll can also be very moving). The other pieces have more of a return-inside and are not quite as convincing and so certain songs, like "Vane", combine with wonder originality and effectiveness, others like "Happy?" leave me a little on the hungry side. This said, this disc is undoubtedly better than the last Dozer which has succeeded in dislodging it's self in my turntable. - Alain Petit


"Linear Reflections"

There’s nothing more interesting than having a teenager come along while you are reviewing a disc and watching them actually get into the music without really being aware of your presence. This one created some head-banging movement in my eldest and hardest to please child. (He’s very finicky where his music is concerned.) I have to confess, I was kind of caught up in the music myself - the head and foot were moving right along to the beat.

Ritual is a hard driving potent mix of aggressive catchy riffs and powerful lyrics, what my aforementioned son would call “soft metal.” Myself, I would liken this group to “Tea Party.” After a year long hiatus while working on finishing a full length recording, the group has made a somewhat explosive return to the music scene and is ready to shake the foundations loose, which is literally what will happen if you turn it up too loud!

This group is comprised of Sean Harley, Joel Labrosse, Daryl Kiviaho, and Jason Collis. Interestingly enough, all four members are equally involved in every aspect of the group – from the song writing to promo and management. The quality levels they have set for themselves are high, and they don’t disappoint their listeners in the least. This is a group that Canada can be proud to call their own.

The disc opens with a track entitled “Francesca,” that has an addictive and perfect beat
for “banging.” The chorus erupts like a flame thrower, “I won’t back down now/ I’m not sure I know how…” There is nothing stunning or original about this track, but the lyrics are decent and the beat is addictive as I said.

“The Way It Is” was used by Pontiac for a radio commercial, and also added to the mix of songs for the second season of the “Witch Blade” television series on TBS. It is a heady mix of blunt lyrics combined with some racy solid riffs and a driving percussion that reaches in and manipulates your attention so that you take notice.

Black Sabbath meets Metallica is what you get with the final track, “Laughing Out Loud.” Heavy, heavy bass and percussion, blended with a harmonic vocal line, that again catches the ear and the inner rhythms of the body.

This is a really solid disc and if you like the genre, you will most likely want to give it a try. I’m not surprised that Ritual is catching the “ears” and thus notice of North America, they are worth some attention. I am hoping that their next disc will be even better and have something more of an original sound to it. Ritual should be numbered among those at the top of the genre, rising like the cream on milk, but they haven’t risen above it – yet.


- Naomi DeBruyn


"Linear Reflections"

There’s nothing more interesting than having a teenager come along while you are reviewing a disc and watching them actually get into the music without really being aware of your presence. This one created some head-banging movement in my eldest and hardest to please child. (He’s very finicky where his music is concerned.) I have to confess, I was kind of caught up in the music myself - the head and foot were moving right along to the beat.

Ritual is a hard driving potent mix of aggressive catchy riffs and powerful lyrics, what my aforementioned son would call “soft metal.” Myself, I would liken this group to “Tea Party.” After a year long hiatus while working on finishing a full length recording, the group has made a somewhat explosive return to the music scene and is ready to shake the foundations loose, which is literally what will happen if you turn it up too loud!

This group is comprised of Sean Harley, Joel Labrosse, Daryl Kiviaho, and Jason Collis. Interestingly enough, all four members are equally involved in every aspect of the group – from the song writing to promo and management. The quality levels they have set for themselves are high, and they don’t disappoint their listeners in the least. This is a group that Canada can be proud to call their own.

The disc opens with a track entitled “Francesca,” that has an addictive and perfect beat
for “banging.” The chorus erupts like a flame thrower, “I won’t back down now/ I’m not sure I know how…” There is nothing stunning or original about this track, but the lyrics are decent and the beat is addictive as I said.

“The Way It Is” was used by Pontiac for a radio commercial, and also added to the mix of songs for the second season of the “Witch Blade” television series on TBS. It is a heady mix of blunt lyrics combined with some racy solid riffs and a driving percussion that reaches in and manipulates your attention so that you take notice.

Black Sabbath meets Metallica is what you get with the final track, “Laughing Out Loud.” Heavy, heavy bass and percussion, blended with a harmonic vocal line, that again catches the ear and the inner rhythms of the body.

This is a really solid disc and if you like the genre, you will most likely want to give it a try. I’m not surprised that Ritual is catching the “ears” and thus notice of North America, they are worth some attention. I am hoping that their next disc will be even better and have something more of an original sound to it. Ritual should be numbered among those at the top of the genre, rising like the cream on milk, but they haven’t risen above it – yet.


- Naomi DeBruyn


"Canadian Musician Magazine"

Who: Ritual
Where: Cornwall, ON
What: Alternative/Metal
Contact: www.Ritualnet.com

The release of their self-titled CD last June was an epiphany of sorts for Cornwall, Ontario’s Ritual. The recording marked the band’s bold return from a three-year hiatus. Since then, Ritual has already seen as couple of songs off the new CD rise to the top of the polls on well-known indie music Internet sites. The band has also had two songs from the CD queued for use in the American television series Witch Blade and another in a radio commercial for Pontiac. There is no doubt that metal is what lies at the core of Ritual’s music. The songs off the new CD feature well-pounded drums, unison of thumping bass and overdriven guitar, and vocals screamed to the point of natural distortion. It’s not difficult to believe that Helmet, Queens of the Stone Age and Black Sabbath share a dominant place on Ritual’s CD rack. Ritual’s self-titled CD was tracked using Steinberg’s Nuendo software at Distortion Studios in Ottawa, mixed at the Park Studios in Los Angeles and Mastered at Metalworks Studio in Toronto. The recording was essentially self-produced by the band members, with some help from their soundman and friends. One thing the band is considering doing differently next time around is to save some money by tracking songs themselves. The members of Ritual, Sean Harley, Jason Collis, Joel Labrosse, and Daryl Kiviaho, handle all promotion and publicity for the band themselves. The success they have had in selling their music in innovative ways has proved the effectiveness of their methods.
- Showcase


"Canadian Musician Magazine"

Who: Ritual
Where: Cornwall, ON
What: Alternative/Metal
Contact: www.Ritualnet.com

The release of their self-titled CD last June was an epiphany of sorts for Cornwall, Ontario’s Ritual. The recording marked the band’s bold return from a three-year hiatus. Since then, Ritual has already seen as couple of songs off the new CD rise to the top of the polls on well-known indie music Internet sites. The band has also had two songs from the CD queued for use in the American television series Witch Blade and another in a radio commercial for Pontiac. There is no doubt that metal is what lies at the core of Ritual’s music. The songs off the new CD feature well-pounded drums, unison of thumping bass and overdriven guitar, and vocals screamed to the point of natural distortion. It’s not difficult to believe that Helmet, Queens of the Stone Age and Black Sabbath share a dominant place on Ritual’s CD rack. Ritual’s self-titled CD was tracked using Steinberg’s Nuendo software at Distortion Studios in Ottawa, mixed at the Park Studios in Los Angeles and Mastered at Metalworks Studio in Toronto. The recording was essentially self-produced by the band members, with some help from their soundman and friends. One thing the band is considering doing differently next time around is to save some money by tracking songs themselves. The members of Ritual, Sean Harley, Jason Collis, Joel Labrosse, and Daryl Kiviaho, handle all promotion and publicity for the band themselves. The success they have had in selling their music in innovative ways has proved the effectiveness of their methods.
- Showcase


Discography

2002- Ritual
2001 - Distortion Session - E.P.
1998 - Phlegmatic Sun

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Rock Solid; Great Hooks; Inspiring Melody; Ultra Tight; Great Singing; Visually Stunning; Amazing Live…

These expressions only begin to describe one of Canada’s best independent bands, Ritual. With the release of their latest self-titled effort, Ritual has turned the Canadian Music Scene on its ear, and is gaining more and more popularity and praise every day.

Ritual is currently in heavy rotation on some of the most popular Canadian and American radio stations in their area. Ritual has been bombarded with requests to use their songs in Wrestling intros, video game productions, movie scores, and television dramas. Ritual’s music is melodic enough for the air waves, and technical and well written enough to entertain the harshest critics and musicians. Ritual is exceptional…

Ritual is dawning on their 10th year anniversary as a force in song writing, entertaining, and simply blowing away all bands in their genre. Ritual is the original four members with extremely high standards in terms of song writing, performing, and managing the band. Sean Harley, Daryl Kiviaho, Joel Labrosse, and Jason Collis equally share the writing and management aspects of Ritual. With a decade of self managing their success, it becomes more and more apparent that Ritual is here to stay.

Ritual has won the band wars of various Cities and internet sites, and won the respect of their fans and critics for constantly raising the bar in terms of writing and performing their own brand of music. Very rarely does Ritual receive a bad review; Ritual consistently brings down the house when the stage is their own or when warming up for large industry acts. When you catch Ritual live, you will be in awe of the quality of showmanship they consistently hit the stage with.

Pick up their latest self titled CD today… or visit www.ritualnet.com to get some MP3 samples of what this band has to offer!

Ritual is a fantastic Canadian band that never disappoints live… or on record.