Rituals

Bunsenburner – Rituals

Bunsenburner – Rituals

“After the ruthless shellacking I gave to Bunsenburner’s debut Poise, I didn’t expect to hear from the German revolving-door collective so soon. My critiques of the debut were called out by mastermind Ben Krahl, but a followup determined that “any publicity is good publicity” and he sent in 2023’s Rituals for another round. Stoner doom to the core, with a crystalline ambiance and jazzy overtures to effectively cover its lack of vocals, Poise was ultimately overlong and directionless. Regardless of my feelings of the debut, the show goes on!” Flame on!

Plateau Sigma – Rituals [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

Plateau Sigma – Rituals [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

“Italy’s Plateau Sigma have been on my radar for a couple of years: they always edged something quite interesting with their emotive doom metal but they lacked consistency and the song-writing was choppy at best. Yet it was with eagerness that I encountered their second full length, given the chinks of excellence evident previously. Rather than continuing the trend of slow but steady improvement, Rituals enveloped me entirely in its sheets of atmospheric doom and calming beauty, upheld by a strong, mid-paced core.” Doom in your stocking.