Ritual is a relatively new Swedish band with a very unique sound, using acoustic instruments like violin, mandolina, bouzouki, etc.. Melodic complex rhythms reminds of early Yes but with a personal and innovative touch. An excellent folk-prog production with skilled musicians.
Finally the new Ritual album has arrived. Ritual released their debut album, simply called "Ritual", in 1995. Looking back it's quite clear that their debut album was one of the best debut albums in the 90's, so it was with great excitement I started listening to their follow-up "Superb Birth". Although their music has changed a bit since the debut you can still hear the typical Ritual sound and compositions with great musicianship. Their music is a mixture between Anekdoten, The Flower Kings, Folk music, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin and Rush. The tracks are the opening "Dinosaur Spaceship", the folky acoustic "Golden Angel", "Coming Home", "Really Something", "Lobby", the oriental "6/8" with cello, violin and viola, "Into The Heat", the Led Zeppelinish "Sadly Unspoken", the single "Did I Go Wrong", the Led Zeppelinish "Mothersong", "A Voice Of Divinity" with only a grand piano and great vocals from Patrik Lundström and the closing "Do You Want To See The Sun". Ritual have managed to record an album that almost equals their debut album, and they have had a great impact on the progressive rock of the 90's. I certainly hope that they will take their music into the new millennium so that we can have many Ritual albums in the future. Highly recommended and a superb album!
From: https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=1174
