Band: Ritual Abuse
CD Title: Pandemonium
Year: 2007
Website: www.ritualabuse.co.uk/
MySpace: www.myspace.com/ritualabuse
Label: None
Featured on: Loucifer Speaks and Burning Misery
Rating: 9 / 10
More Links: Start a thread on the Loucifer Speaks forum.
One of the guys from Ritual Abuse tried to send me this EP through an email, but unfortunately the computer gremlins invaded and for some reason it didn’t work… so, I’m listening to the tracks from the band’s MySpace page – and I urge you to do the same… and then go and see them at a gig or something... Actually, preferably at a gig – they may get rather annoyed if you started hanging around in bushes near their houses... with your night-vision goggles and a box of sandwiches. It’s not cool.
Anyway, I’m meant to be reviewing this...
My first thought when listening to these tracks was the Ritual Abuse are a straightforward Death Metal band with Thrash and Grindcore influences… and, after listening to the tracks a few times, I think that's still pretty accurate. Ritual Abuse are not pretentious and they're not hiding behind the latest trend – they've got a fantastic no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point feel to their music and it's incredibly refreshing. It's music that you can quite happily bang your head to, or release some anger to while throwing yourself around at a gig (or around your front room) while downing various glasses/cans/bottles of alcohol, and that's all that matters.
"As The Nightmare Begins" is a fantastic track. It's at a great tempo that really gets you worked up. The vocals lean more towards Thrash/Death than Grindcore and are pretty decipherable. If I knew the lyrics I would happily shout along – probably much to the annoyance of anyone within a mile radius… but hey, you can't please everyone!
The opening to "Conditioned To Kill" hits you like a battering ram and, to be honest, it doesn’t really let up from that moment. If you're looking to relax, then this isn't for you. Ritual Abuse somehow manage to convince every muscle in your body to tense up and beg to be thrown away (I was going to write 'abused' there… but someone would only get the wrong idea!). I love the lead guitar on this track. This is definitely my favourite of the three tracks available here. Damn good!
By the time I got to "Horrifying Pattern of the Mind" I was pretty exhausted, but luckily it acts as a huge shot of energy that gets you up and moving again.
Ritual Abuse are definitely a band to look out for... and they’re definitely a band that I’ve got to see live... and soon!
01 As The Nightmare Begins
02 Conditioned to Kill
03 Horrifying Pattern of the Mind
