Review Summary: Ceremony's debut release is short, loud, and angry. It easily is on a list of the best Hardcore album in the last ten years.
Hardcore is a term that is thrown around a lot. It is one of the loosest possible genres today, because of the misconception of the meaning. But this review is not going to be a long, overdrawn rant about what true hardcore is. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and how they view the genre.
Ruined is a very interesting record. It is the first release from California hardcore act
Ceremony. It has only seven tracks on the disc, and it is the fastest seven tracks you’ve ever heard. The whole disc barely lasts ten minutes. It truly is a random outburst of violence. Why does this deserve such a high ranking? Because
Ceremony is, in the truest sense: Hardcore.
Everything from the first note, to the last cymbal crash is delivered as perfect as it could be. Every instrument is completely audible, and each throws in a key factor in making these songs relatable. The guitars are riddled with distortion, and are choppy at most points. The drums are pounded as fast as possible. All this is done on purpose, and pulled off brilliantly. This isn’t a group of kids hitting random things and hoping it sounds good. The bass guitar is what really keeps the songs grooving. The first track
Kersed has one of the most memorable bass lines in hardcore today. You don’t even have to like hardcore to know this line. The bass riff is written perfectly as it adds tension and drama to buildup the album. Three power chords are played and then you hear the words.
Quote:
Pack your fists full of hate,
take a swing at the world.
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Easily the most powerful part about this band is their vocals. Ross Farrar,
Ceremony’s lead vocalist is arguably the best voice in hardcore today. The moment you hear him yelling, you can instantly feel his emotion. Raw, aggressive, sad, but most of all, angry. A lot of bands today will write songs about how they are pissed off at something, and express it in song. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I’m not saying they are faking it, but with
Ceremony, it is the only music I’ve ever heard where I can truly believe that this man is f***ing angry.
Quote:
I got a chip on my shoulder I’m on a losing streak.
There’s a cloud of contempt hanging over me,
because it's dog-eat-dog in a place like this.
Every man for himself so I use my fists.
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Ceremony is in a mass genre, a category all their own. They are not just singing about anger and hate, they are bringing it to the people. Their live show is more chaotic than this record is. They easily deserve their place as one of the best hardcore bands around right now, and with each release they are getting better and better.
Ruined is easily the most overlooked hardcore album in the last ten years, and it is also one of the best.
