Blood Ceremony - Blood Ceremony
Rise Above Records
Release date: September 2008


Sure, there are a mess of bands out there that are brilliantly effective at channeling the '70's, but not that many have had as strong an impact as Sweden's Witchcraft. Their debut did more than just ape vintage Pentagram – it sounded like it was actually recorded at the start of that decade and was a long lost gem from another era.

For better or worse, numerous like-minded bands have spawned in their wake. The latest is Canada's Blood Ceremony, who goes so far as to label its music as “witch rock.” Sure, the band probably means they're occult influenced, but given the vintage feel of Blood Ceremony and Witchcraft's catalog, it's hard not to draw comparisons.

And yet while Blood Ceremony does share some of the same Pentagram- and Roky Erikson -isms, they're strong enough to be taken on their own (provided you aren't familiar with Jex Thoth, that is), Blood Ceremony, as it's been said on this website, sounds like Jethro Tull had Tony Iommi joined the band back in 1968 - bluesy doom accented by flute and with a generous amount of folksy psychedelics. What also sets Blood Ceremony apart from their retro-minded contemporaries are the vocals, courtesy of Alia O'Brien (who's also the flutist). She brings a faint Jefferson Airplane vibe, which heightens the Wyrd Folk aspect of the album. The songs are fairly consistent throughout, but it's the last track, “Hymn to Pan,” where the band really shines.

Overall, I found this to be an impressive debut. It's not particularly heavy – not surprising, given that their focused exclusively on the late 60s/early 70s – and their fascination with “The Black Arts” may seem silly and trite to some, but it is an effectively atmospheric album.

- John Pegoraro

If I hadn't been hit with the "Tull/Sabbath" thing by the guy at the store I think I'd like this more. They have none of the rooted depth of either of those bands just a touch of their accents/flavoring. They def. have the stumble fuck nature of the late '60's early 70's down- like in ," hop toad", the decent intro runs into a dull flute solo then it picks up into something from just post "flower people" Spinal Tap. I would like to see'm tho- I think if the ryhthmn section was cut loose they'd swing decently. Some of the musics ok, and shes a decent singer but I think if you put'm up to Jex they lose.

The production's better than on the s/t Jex Thoth, but otherwise, yeah, Jex Thoth for the win.

For '70's camp horror fun' Ceremony win...for 'it's -10 outside and the trees are white with frost' then thoth win.

Personally I found it better than Jex Thoth, which bored me.

I've been going to their shows since pretty much the very start when they had about three songs and some pentagram covers and they were playing with thrash and death metal bands since there was nothing else really like this at all up here, I can remember what a total blast it was when Hymn To Pan fist started making an appearance in the set, that last half gets so hypnotic in the live setting. Kinda shitty what they did to Evil Legend/Shadow Kingdom Tim, but sometimes ya gotta be a dinkhole to get ahead in the biz I guess so I don't blame 'em, just a shame that since the E-Wiz tour the hipster crowd has entirely taken over the band as their own, every show now the crowd's such a sea of pretentious cockwadism and sailor tattoos.

I'm giving this a spin now, I really like it and I don't usually go for female vocals at all. It makes me want to drink whiskey and run barefoot over moss covered hills in a gauze dress.

I didn't like this when I first heard it, but now I play it a couple times a week. Great sounding record, and fun as hell.

It is much heavier than I initially thought it would be. Black Sabbath riffs, female vocals, and Jethro Tull flute. That's why I dig them.

I'm not familiar with Jex Thoth too much, but I thought this album was amazing. First time I heard it I knew it was something to be reckoned with. I've now heard it several times, and I think it is one of the best albums of 08, and quickly becoming one of my favorite albums of all time. I actually reviewed it myself earlier this year.