Review Summary: Great punk rock album, just listen to it...
Bodyjar have aged like fine wine, each record setting a new standard for its successor. While not as active in the second half of their 30-year career, the Australian quartet has been careful regarding their output quality.
New Rituals is one of their more serious efforts, ending up closer to the 2005 self-titled LP, only with a heavier emphasis on political and environmental themes. Overall, the material sounds familiar, presenting another solid round of pissed off, punchy punk rock tunes. The opening trio, "Burning Truth", "Billy" & "Get out of My Head" boast trademark intense drumming and high-octane guitar grooves. The former fittingly sets up the LP’s tone, whereas the latter hits closest to their early ‘00s sonic formula. Those catchy leads topped by enthusiastic sing-along choruses haven’t lost any of their charm yet. However, "Billy" takes the prize, blending all of Bodyjar’s strengths to great effect from start to end. The pile driving rhythms with melodic detours evoke a vibrant energy, plus the vocal hooks are infectious here. "Surrender" and "Big Shot" continue with similar vibes and passionate delivery. You could very well place these tracks among the ones on
How It Works or
Plastic Skies and experience the same liveliness. Meanwhile, "Ignorance" shares one of the hardest hitting main riffs on
New Rituals, working really well alongside the tuneful verses and choruses. Also, "Reaction" continues in the same vein with pounding drums and sharp chords over which Cameron’s powerful voice soars. There’s an added grit to it that is welcomed, especially on the heavier songs. A nice surprise is the Dragon cover, Bodyjar turning "Rain" into a playful pop punk tune. On the other hand, the mid-tempo rocker, "Be the One" stands out due to its breezy guitar and bass interplay, complete with a short rap during the bridge. It’s a nice, discreet experiment that doesn’t detract from
New Rituals’ sonic course. Very few bands in the genre managed to stay so consistent and it’s a shame the Australian group isn’t more renowned. Nevertheless, this latest LP is a must listen for any fan of punk rock.
