Snake Head Ritual: Ceremonial Thunder

Back for their second shot of heavy blues infused rock, Snake Head Ritual are here to deliver their Ceremonial Thunder. The band's self titled debut landed with a bang a couple of years back, a twisted melding of classic rock traditions and a North American heavy blues heartbeat, a prime example of how to blend two closely related cousins into a confident sound in its own right. Ceremonial Thunder continues that journey, the more obvious influences and touching points beginning to drift away as SHR begin to grow and mature. Don't get me wrong, when you take part in this mystical storm, you'll immediately feel at home in the powering riffs and rich grooves. However where the debut album had you reminiscing of AC/DC, or pre-blonde tints Whitesnake, this time Snake Head Ritual sound like, well, Snake Head Ritual. Yes, those Tops of the double Z may still have a strong bearing on the likes of "Mama", however there's a sharper bite to this Snake's venom, the huge rolling grooves suggesting that we might be headed into the domain of Clutch. And yet there's way too much blues (as you'd guess) in "These Blues", way too much Hendrix swagger in "3:19" and darting, snarling shuffle in "Sweet Molina/She's So Reckless" to make Ceremonial Thunder a simple quick-fix album.

The guitar pair of Bill McCullough and Matt Vogel are a force of nature, the good time, indispensable riffology the duo lay down knocking you this way and that through the mighty juggernaut of "Ain't Got Time For The Blues" (you better believe these boys are way too busy kickin' out the good times to get down), the pounding, yet easy going "Gone When I Get Home" and brooding smack of "Strange World"; McCullough quite simply a master of the guitar solo. Singer Kevin Chez excels, his deep rich tones perfect for the rocking rolling Snake Head Ritualising going down, while the rock solid foundation it's all built on arrives courtesy of drummer Tim Swartz and bassist Chris Graham.

Impressively we haven't even touched on this album's two shining lights yet, the urgent celebration of "The Golden Age Of Rock n' Roll" name checking the greats we wouldn't be here without in the most unforgettable of styles. However closing the album out with a mid paced bluesy spurt of "What Your Mama Says…Your Daddy Does" is pure genius, the authentic rhythms, and from the heart vocals, hitting just as hard as the biggest riff ever could.

I wasn't sure if Snake Head Ritual would be able to live up to one of the best debuts I've heard in quite some time. Ceremonial Thunder does exactly that and with room to spare. This band are the real deal, and put quite simply, are making music you should not be without.

Track Listing
1. MAMA

2. THESE BLUES

3. STRANGE WORLD

4. GONE WHEN I GET HOME

5. THE GOLDEN AGE OF ROCK N' ROLL

6. 3:19

7. THE CHASE

8. SWEET MOLINA / SHE'S SO RECKLESS

9. AIN'T GOT TIME FOR THE BLUES

10. WHAT YOUR MAMA SAYS...YOUR DADDY DOES

Added: August 28th 2016
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Ceremonial Thunder at The Grooveyard
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Language: english

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