![ritus de cruor – vainajain kammarissa [ep]](https://www.vm-underground.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ritus-De-Cruor-–-Vainajain-Kammarissa-EP-cover.jpeg "Ritus De Cruor – Vainajain Kammarissa [EP]")
Info
- Band(s): Ritus de Cruor
- Label(s): Altare Productions
- Release Format(s): CD, EP
- Release Year: 2024
- Review Date: December 30, 2024
- Author(s): VincentP
With the release of ‘Vainajain Kammarissa’ we have arrived at the fourth release of Ritus De Cruor, following a demo, an EP and a split with Käärmekristus. On this latest EP, once again released by Altare Productions, we find the band revolving around Iära, Grave Revelations and Ruho member Sepulchre continuing in the direction of the previous work, releasing the most mature release to date.
Musically, ‘Vainajain Kammarissa’ sounds like the best blend of the previous recordings. Built on the backbone of Finnish Black Metal, the latest EP combinines the emphasis of straightforward yet omnipresent tremolo melodies that featured on the tracks on the Käärmekristus split with the more melancholic nature of the ‘Die Melancholie der Zauberer’ EP. This makes this most recent work not only the most varied, but also the most balanced. In addition, the production is on point, being both raw around the edges but clear enough to balance the leading melodies, analog drums, pulsating bass and snarling vocals better than ever before.
While some of the previous recordings were at times somewhat onedimensional in tempo or too centred around one or two riffs, the songs on ‘Vainajain Kammarissa’ contain much more variation in pace and riffs. Don’t expect a veritable bonanza of riffs and breaks though, as the strength of Ritus De Cruor still lies in the power of a few catchy melodies. Flirting with a hint of atonality, the icecold riffs keep you on your toes yet provide enough hooks to sink in straight away. Cold and melancholic in nature, the aura of sorrow is further enhanced by the distant humming of keyboards. In both the title track and ‘Vanhat Sanat’ (the other two tracks are an intro and an interlude), it adds to a certain degree of bombast that once again elevates the sound to that next level for the band. And even when there is slightly more focus on the same riff, it never becomes over-repetitive either by changing of the cadence of the raspy vocals or variation of the drums tempos. And so, with the right balance between rawness, melodiousness and melancholy, ‘Vainajain Kammarissa’ clearly is the best work by the band thus far, and one that will tick a lot of boxes for Finnish Black metal fanatics.
Altare Productions
- Country: Portugal
- Style: Black Metal
- Links: Homepage, Youtube
