Ready to go international? Grief Ritual is a blackened hardcore punk and post-metal band from the South West, UK, and they’re here with an all-new EP, Life is a Phase!
Formed in late 2018, Grief Ritual has been compared to Conjurer, Cult Leader, and Harms Way in several positive reviews. Here’s another one to add to the list!
The EP as a whole is a harsh, but freeing beast of a collection of songs. Each track is powerful in its own way, whether it be due to its solid, classic foundation, or unique riffs and tempo changes.
The first song of the EP is Recidivist. It begins with an energetic instrumental that feeds into heavy vocals and thrumming drum beats. I enjoyed the classic hardcore vibes of this electricity-charged track.
Paroxysm takes the EP into a slower, more menacing mood. Its lack of vocals at the start was a nice touch, as it allowed the instruments to tell a story of a “sudden attack” or “violent expression” that reflects its title, especially when the transition into the faster portion occurred.
Apatheism is the song I would be afraid to put in a car playlist for fear of being startled (and I mean it in the best way). From the first note, the track takes themes of the past two and forms something entirely new. While still heavy in terms of vocals and drum patterns, there is a certain lightness to the music underneath its hard exterior that allows it to blend seamlessly into the fourth track.
Extant brings us back to the quiet solitude of Paroxysm, drawing a pleasant parallel. Its slow build brings us into its world at the perfect pace to enjoy every little part of the piece before vocals come in. The energy of the faster tracks comes back into play at the middle, unfading until the conclusion of the song.
The last track of Life is a Phase begins much like Apatheism, but it plays with tempo throughout to keep you on your toes! This is the perfect track to end an album: it encompasses the themes and sounds of all the other tracks and leaves us with a satisfying conclusion.
Grief Ritual is currently in the process of writing a follow-up record and booking shows to show off their current and future music. To keep updated with the band, check out their social media below:
