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Ceremony

Violence Violence
2006
Malfunction

Ceremony - Violence Violence (Cover Artwork)

Review by: kevin_hare
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Published on June 27th 2006

Ceremony's debut 7", Ruined, has been, by far, my most listened to EP of the past year. Ruined was the most intense 7 minutes of hardcore in a long while. Reminiscent of Infest, Ruined made the listener want to jump out of their chair, throw the chair through the window, throw their mother in after it, and then light the house on fire. It was that good.

I wasn't sure if the band would be able to pull off a full-length. Would it start to get boring after a while? Can the band be creative enough? Could they get past the "sophomore slump?"

Yes. Quite frankly, they have created a modern hardcore masterpiece.

Ceremony is best at fooling the listener, creating a slow sort of buildup that is fairly accessible to the listener. Then, suddenly, they kick you in the face with buzzsaw guitars and furious vocals. Before you can even comprehend what is going on, the song ends, leaving you to question what you actually just heard. This is Ceremony's key to success, and they are able to switch this process up enough so that it never gets old.

They also show themselves to be a very flexible band. They have the brutally fast parts, parts that are easier to bob your head to (and, while bobbing, running over to whoever is closest and punching them in the face), slower, droning interludes, and even throw in a cover of the Red C's "Pressures On," showing that they can even pull off sounding like a punk band.

The 7 tracks on Ruined are also included at the end of this album, pushing it to a blistering 20 songs in 20 minutes and 28 seconds.

After the album is over, the listener is left gasping for air, not really understanding what just happened, but yearning to experience it again. And again.

And again.

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Posted by victim on 2007-01-30 00:32:53
My Score:

I hadn't heard the 7" prior to this, but I think I liked the new material better, the vocals weren't quite as drawn out. Awesome album and the Red C cover is unbelievably great.

This from someone who spurns more traditional hardcore. Oh and The Locust are really made thanks to the synth, it puts them in a whole different category IMO

Posted by inagreendase on 2006-07-11 17:39:17

This shit is fucking awesome.

Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-06-29 12:33:05

And pretentiousness comes in many sizes, shapes and colours, and there's nothing wrong with it unless you think so yourself.

Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-06-29 12:32:00

Well, to tell you the truth what bugs me about this band is the fact that they're one of those bands that all of their fans can't take it if someone says it's not the best album ever recorded.

Great record.

Waaaaaaaaaaayyy better than internal affairs.

Posted by BizzleBrizzle on 2006-06-28 21:06:03

How the fuck is this pretentious? Lyrically it's honest as hell, and the lyrics are smart. Yeah they're serious, but being serious doesn't automatically mean you're pretentious. I'd much rather hear a band sing about serious things than make a bunch of joke songs.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at 9:05 PM (EDT)

is this the people from skywave who were from the f-burg, va area?
love,sean

Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-06-28 17:05:30

"You like the Locust. At least you can discern meaning from these guys' lyrics."

*sigh*..Here we go again...
Fuck art, fuck pretentiousness, i like the locust because i like thrash and i also have a sense of humour that tends to be on the spazzy side of things. It's not mindblowing music, it's just boatloads of fun.

This is a great record though and they were amazing live, i'm hoping it will grow on me, because it doesn't really fit me right from the bat.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at 9:55 AM (EDT)

i just downloaded this. good as hell. depsite the crossed out and infest comparisons, it reminds me most of negative approach. fast and hard and absolutely no bullshit.

Posted by JLJL on 2006-06-28 00:15:55

Thanks, I already have the new Lack Of Interest, and it fuckin' rips.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at 6:53 PM (EDT)

"Ken, mind if I grab it too?"

Dude, be my guest. I'll leave that shit up all night for you guys. Make sure you get the new lack of interest too.

-Ken

Posted by williammarinovic on 2006-06-27 17:57:34

"but it's just waay too pretentious"

You like the Locust. At least you can discern meaning from these guys' lyrics.

Posted by Mute98 on 2006-06-27 16:12:30

if u guys like this, give Internal Affairs a spin

great review!

Posted by JLJL on 2006-06-27 15:58:02

Ken, mind if I grab it too?

Posted by JLJL on 2006-06-27 15:49:12

Neanderthal is awesome, we need Infest and Crossed Out reviews.

Posted by TheYoungInfluential on 2006-06-27 14:28:31
My Score:

They cover Red C's "Pressure's On"??
Red C is great!
Score is for Red C.

Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-06-27 13:21:54
My Score:

This is pretty good, but it's just waay too pretentious and overly serious for me. I mean, it's a pretty mindblwoing listen but i don't picture myself listening to it for hours every day.

Ken is right about weekend nachos though and i'm pretty sure they will go on to release one of my all time faovrite records.

Posted by joeg on 2006-06-27 12:27:06
My Score:

pretty good.

Posted by P-Fresh on 2006-06-27 12:03:15

Overhyped, overrated. Good, but not as mindblowing or genius as people make it out to be.

Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-06-27 11:42:46

This sounds awesome. Now, where can I actually get some Infest records? (Also, on an unrelated note, does anyone know if any Deviated Instinct LPs are still in print/ been reissued?)

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at 9:34 AM (EDT)

"Has anyone hear Neanderthal, the band that would later become Man Is the Bastard? My friend played me their 7 inch, it was fucking awesome. Like it better than MitB."

Will, check out Dekalb's Weekend Nachos - they are a bunch of really young kids that are Neanderthal freaks. Their debut 7" is mind-blowing. Six Weeks has it or you can soulsseek it off of me - ReadAGoddamnBook .
-Ken

Posted by danperrone on 2006-06-27 09:07:12
My Score:

yeaaah, i like this a lot

Posted by BizzleBrizzle on 2006-06-27 07:12:33

Probably one of my favorite harcore bands around right now, and this is definitely my favorite record of the year.

Posted by williammarinovic on 2006-06-27 02:19:18

After a listen...

Awesome. Simply awesome. I definitely am feeling the Infest, but maybe not as rampant in tempo.

Posted by Anchors on 2006-06-27 01:30:45

This album is mind blowing.

I'm seeing them with Lights Out next week.

Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-06-27 01:23:18

Ps,

im here to wrap my hands around society's neck! slip away against a lifeless grip! a long painful death is what you deserve -- open your mouth, bite the fucking curb. Oh my god.

Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-06-27 01:21:42
My Score:

BEST BAND DOING THEIR THING RIGHT NOW. SERIOUSLY.

You're a fucking loser if you don't like this album.

Posted by williammarinovic on 2006-06-27 01:03:58

I'll have to check this band out.

Has anyone hear Neanderthal, the band that would later become Man Is the Bastard? My friend played me their 7 inch, it was fucking awesome. Like it better than MitB.