Ritualization - "Sacraments to the Sons of the Abyss" (Iron Bonehead Productions, 2017)

Band: Ritualization
Album: Sacraments to the Sons of the Abyss
Genre: Death Metal with Black Metal elements
Year: 13th February 2017
Time: 43 min
Rating: 89/100













VIVE LA FRANCE! France is living today a death metal explosion with a bunch of fantastic bands but I said this some months ago in occasion of my review about Venefixion. These Ritualization are a fundamental part of this explosion also because, in a certain sense, they have anticipated it being formed even in 2006. Despite this and after changing their logo (now their logo is truly amazing!), they released only recenlty their debut album, besides through the German Iron Bonehead Prod with the cover artwork made with the sulphur by Chris Moyen aka Thorncross. And do you know what I think? That these 11 long years into the ranks were very useful to Ritualization to create slowly their own sound and their own loyal following for an incredible ballsy album! If all the bands could have this kind of mentality instead than recording the debut album after only 6 months of existence, I think this world would be a better place to live haha!


"Sacraments to the Sons of the Abyss" is composed of 8 blasphemies (+ intro and outro) devoted to a Satanic death metal contaminated by heavy doses of pure black metal, especially in tracks like "Thy Graveyard Coven", hence this album is full of a very damned feeling. But the death metal approach chosen by these 5 Parisians is close to the US-style, ergo we are in presence of a blackened version of the better Morbid Angel. This means that the technical skills are so excellent to bring to very nervous and complex songs but playing them through an unbearable cruelty. In fact, the listeners will be crushed by a furious holocaust guided with iron fist by a fantastic rhythmic section from which arises especially Blastum, a name and a program for a drummer able to range with nonchalance from more and more demented speeds to some slow tempos.

These slow tempos are useful to Ritualization to create some atmospheric passages full of pure morbidity, showing also excellent skills as composers. In this sense, I have to frame songs like "Genesis to Your Curse" for its doom and even melodic moment, or "Beneath the Sepulchre" where there is a slowdown with a riffing that seems to transport the listeners into vortexes of increasing horror. In addition of all this, mentionable are also "Herald of Betrayal" (one of the old 3 songs re-recorded for this album while the other ones are "The Graveyard Coven" and "Revealed in Terror") and the long "Heretics", all numbers destined to a devastating deflagration after a slow start, especially the latter one that has a notable dark aura during its first minute.

For the truth, this is one of those albums where nothing is left to chance. Hence, there is the possessed gurgling of Warchangel reinforced by some screams, the guitars of Da'ath and Infamist that vomits merciless solos creating sometimes also riffs hidden into the ruthless chaos recreated by Ritualization while the bass of Krig is properly highlighted.

In few words, this is THE death metal (but, since the black metal influences are very relevant, call it blackened death metal or black/death metal or fuck as you want!) I want to listen to EVERY fuckin' time! Because it is merciless, chaotic, technical, complex, well arranged, imaginative, dark and malign, and besides Ritualization have written 5 new songs for this album. No more to say,  "Sacraments to the Sons of the Abyss", strong of masterpieces like "Morbid Magick Stigmata" or "Heretics", has become one of my favorite death metal albums of this year. VIVE LA FRANCE! VIVE LE DEATH METAL FRANÇAIS!!!

 

Tracklist:

1 - Conjuration of the Howling Depths (Intro)
2 - Last Rites to the Damned
3 - Genesis to Your Curse
4 - Herald of Betrayal
5 - The Graveyard Coven
6 - Beneath the Sepulchre
7 - Revealed in Terror
8 - Morbid Magick Stigmata
9 - Heretics
10 - Ashes Pouring from the Chalice (outro)

Line-up:

Warchangel - vocals
Da'ath - guitars
Infamist - guitars
Krig - bass
Blastum - drums

FaceBook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ritualization/145905645471417
Iron Bonehead Productions: http://www.ironbonehead.de/