Album Review: Ritual King – Ritual King (Ripple Music)

Manchester based stoner/blues rock trio Ritual King are back with their self titled debut album. This follows on from their excellent EP, Earthrise released in Feb 2018. An EP we had many positive things to say about.

The debut album will be released on February 21st 2020 via Ripple Music.

These fellas have the right kind of stoner rock sound, the one that sits prettily in the ears and gets the body moving and shaking with ease. Nice and dirty, the kind of sexiness that everyone enjoys while also being groovy as all hell.

With riffs a-plenty, the foot is tapping and the head is nodding along from the moment Valleys gets going. A firecracker of a start, the haze created by that stoner sound is made that little bit clearer thanks to the following bluesy beat of No Compromise. Although it does jump between that guitar twiddling and a rich heaviness throughout to really show off Ritual King’s abilities.

Headspace and 602 bring the same very welcoming passion, both having bags full of energy. The latter in particular is Ritual King at their most fiery and their most exhilarating.

It’s a return to a more chilled out tempo with Dead Roads for the first couple of minutes before they let rip with riffs weighted in gold. Whereas Restrain is the trio showing an impressively relaxed style of their bluesy stoner rock. Even when bringing in a blistering guitar solo, it still comes across so laid back.

Ritual King have nailed their debut album and Black Hills isn’t changing that. I mean, how could it? Especially as it’s another deep cut of stoner rock that thrills and chills in equal amounts.

Ritual King – Ritual King Full Track Listing:

1. Valleys
2. No Compromise
3. Headspace
4. 602
5. Dead Roads
6. Restrain
7. Black Hills

Links

Bandcamp | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube