Ritual Earth & Kazak (Split): Turned To Stone- Chapter 9

I must admit I do enjoy Split albums, especially when it comes to checking out up-and-coming bands (or bands that I’m unfamiliar with). Both Ritual Earth and Kazak and new bands to my ears, so checking out their split for Turned To Stone- Chapter 9 was a perfect introduction.

Launched in 2020, the "Turned To Stone" album series focuses on unique pairings from across the stoner, doom and heavy psych underground. Turned To Stone- Chapter 9 will be available on January 12th in vinyl and digital format through Ripple Music.

Stoner/Doom/Psych subgenres can be relatively wide-ranging, and this split certainly covers some ground stylistically.

Philadelphia’s Ritual Earth is a self-dubbed heavy atmospheric space rock band, but to my ears play a soulful style of doomy rock. The vocals add a lot of the aforementioned soul/bluesy swagger. The production of these tracks is very good with the guitar tones being lush and organic (and less fuzzy/distorted than you might imagine for the genres in question). Italy’s Kazak plays more of a drone-style brand of doom, with heavily reverbed vocals. They note OM as being an influence, and I can certainly tell that they’re going for that same meditative sort of compositional style.

This is a solid Split from top to bottom and an enjoyable listen. Neither band overstay their welcome, and they juxtapose yet complement each other nicely. From that perspective Turned To Stone Chapter 9 is offering a quality Split for any fans of the subgenre who wants to find underground bands to check out.

TRACKLIST:
1. Ritual Earth- In The Wake
2. Ritual Earth-Through Interstellar Medium
3. Ritual Earth-Ominous Aurorae
4. Kazak- Geometrical Alchemy
5. Kazak-Haze
6. Kazak-Sunset Symphony
7. Kazak-The 25th Hour

Added: January 2nd 2024
Reviewer: Chris Reid
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 2202
Language: english

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