Album Review: Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark

Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark
Release Date:
Highlights: The entire album

Every now and then there’s a band where friends of mine will call, text, or email me about saying, “Don, I just heard/saw a band that I just know you’re going to love!” Well, I’d say that maybe 75% of the time they are spot on and the other 25% of the time said band just misses the mark for me. When my buddy and fellow Brainfart contributor Jeff texted me saying, “Don, I just saw your new favorite band!”, I took it with a grain of salt. Then I listened to Blood Ceremony and low and behold, Jeff was correct. I was hearing one of my new favorite bands.

Toronto’s Blood Ceremony was a total surprise out of nowhere and their sound is everything that I love about this kind of music. Blood Ceremony’s sound is a nod to the late 60s/early 70s and is very reminiscent of bands like Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull so imagine my excitement after putting on my headphones and then playing The Eldritch Dark. The minute “Witchwood” played over the speakers I was made a fan right away. The psychedelic, warm yet timeless sound of the mix just wrapped itself around my head and it felt like I was listening to this album on and old school phonograph back in 1971. Every song on The Eldritch Dark just seemed to embody the spirit of rock past yet possess a very unique sound that sounds like no other band around right now. Lead vocalist/flautist Alia O’Brien is what really keeps this band from sounding like a mere clone of the past as she has such a unique, organic, and clear voice that allows the listener to hear every word she’s singing. Songs this good deserve to be heard and understood, not just played as background music.

The flute playing is what really ads that haunting Jethro Tull kind of vibe but mixing in that early Black Sabbath influence into the mix is what really sweetens the deal. Each song has a unique groove and feel to it coupled with the underlying occult rock style of lyrical content. “Goodbye Gemini”, the first single, is a very catchy yet still somewhat dark song while “Drawing Down the Moon” is a sweet little pill of psychedelic goodness that I could hear a heavier Jefferson Airplane or even Jinx Dawson offering up. In my opinion, it’s with the song “Lord Summerisle” where Blood Ceremony shows a serious amount of depth. It’s a beautifully warm piece and with the marriage of flute and acoustic guitar you get a song that is both comforting and haunting at the same time. The closing track of “The Magician” is 8 minutes of epic wood metal that will have you reaching or headphones, closing your eyes, and allowing yourself to be whisked away by the music to a far off land. Corny I know but what can I say? That’s what happened when I heard this song so get over it!

The Eldritch Dark is in my opinion a perfect album. The production is warm and classic without sounding too under produced or muddy. The songs are very articulately delivered, the song structures are full of some really great changes, and lyrically the songs weave some great stories that read like classic folklore. The Eldritch Dark is without a doubt one of the most fascinating and enjoyable records I’ve heard delivered by one of the most fascinating and dynamic bands I have heard in years.

Check out more on Blood Ceremony by going to https://www.facebook.com/bloodceremonyrock

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